DMK to hold demonstration on December 5 on AFT mills crisis

PUDUCHERRY: The opposition DMK has charged the AINRC government here and also senior Congress leader and Minister of State in PMO V Narayanasamy for the current crisis crippling working of the century old AFT mills here.

Demanding that the Chief Minister ensure the closed mill is reopened with adequate rehabilitation measures, DMK's local unit convenor M A S Subramanian said different wings of the party would observe a one day fast on December 5 over the issue.

He said the political tug of war between Rangasamy and Congress leaders,including Narayanasamy,representing the Union territory in Lok Sabha, had been impacting AFT mill workers,.

Though it was Narayanasamy's duty to play a proactive role and procure funds for rehabilitation and revival of the mill, the Chief Minister should follow up his plea to the Centre to earmark Rs 500 crore for rehabilitation, he said.

Subramanian said the mill workers were living in abject poverty with wages not paid to in service workers and dues to retired personnel not settled.

The fast was aimed at pressing the Centre to concede the demand for funds to revitalise the mill and also to urge the government not to neglect the workers, he said.