TVK ministers Bussy Anand, Aadhav, Rajmohan and Nirmal Kumar held talks with sanitation workers in Chennai, who have been protesting for 15 days over a nine-point charter of demands, as reported in Dinamalar.
The negotiations were held at the Chennai Corporation office complex, where the workers have been staging their protest.
During the meeting, Minister Rajmohan praised the workers for conducting the protest without disrupting public order or traffic. He said the ministers considered themselves their “brothers” and “children of their homes” before considering themselves ministers.
Rajmohan said the government respected the workers’ right to protest and that it was the government’s responsibility to address their demands. He also said Chief Minister Vijay continued to have concern and affection for the workers and that the government would demonstrate this through action.
However, Minister Anand attributed the government’s inability to immediately meet the demands to the financial condition of the state.
“There is nothing in the treasury,” Anand said.
He alleged that the previous government had emptied the state treasury before leaving office and said that, had funds been available, the demands would already have been addressed.
Anand said the TVK government would first set the finances right and would not divert even a rupee of taxpayers’ money for personal use. He added that the government would implement the workers’ demands under Vijay’s instructions and discuss with them which demands could be addressed immediately.
Minister Aadhav said the ministers had not come merely to express support for the protest but to find a solution. He acknowledged that administrative issues were creating difficulties but assured the workers that the government stood with them.
Minister Nirmal Kumar told the workers that it was “their government” and described Vijay as their elder brother. He said the Chief Minister would take the necessary steps for them at the appropriate time.
The sanitation workers have been pressing the government over nine demands as their protest enters its third week.
Subscribe to our channels on WhatsApp, Telegram, Instagram and YouTube to get the best stories of the day delivered to you personally.
