Chennai, Aug 14 (IANS) Senior BJP leader and former Governor Tamilisai Soundararajan on Thursday criticised Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin for watching the newly released Rajinikanth-starrer ‘Coolie’ even as hundreds of sanitation workers were being arrested during their ongoing protest in Chennai demanding better wages and job security.

In a statement, Tamilisai expressed disappointment that the Chief Minister had chosen to spend the evening watching a film instead of engaging with the agitating workers, who have been on strike for the past 13 days.

She said she had personally witnessed the police action in which sanitation workers were forcefully removed from the protest site, detained, and taken away in about 14 buses.

According to her, nearly 800 workers were arrested during the operation.

The government has cited a court order as the basis for dispersing the protesters. However, Tamilisai said the manner in which the removal was carried out was unacceptable.

“It was distressing to see women who had fainted being taken away in ambulances,” she noted, adding that such situations should be handled with sensitivity and respect for the dignity of the workers.

She urged Stalin to meet the protesters directly and initiate constructive talks to resolve their demands, warning that allowing the standoff to escalate would only deepen the crisis.

The workers, employed in the city’s conservancy services, have been protesting against the outsourcing of solid waste management to private contractors and are demanding permanent employment with fair wages.

The arrests took place on Wednesday evening while the Chief Minister hosted a private screening of ‘Coolie’ at his Alwarpet residence for the film’s crew. After the screening, Stalin reportedly congratulated the team on the movie’s release.

The sanitation workers’ protest has garnered support from opposition parties, trade unions, and civic activists, who have condemned the government’s handling of the situation.

Critics argue that the administration’s priority should have been to engage with the agitating workers rather than celebrating a film release.

With the arrests and the protest now attracting statewide attention, political observers believe the controversy could intensify pressure on the ruling DMK to address labour concerns in municipal services.

Tamilisai’s remarks have added to the growing chorus of criticism, with calls for the Chief Minister to personally intervene and find an amicable settlement to the impasse.

–IANS

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