Puducherry: Students of Puducherry gathered for a unique protest near the new bus stand here on Friday morning against the police firing in Thoothukudi. Puducherry has been witnessing a series of protests by political parties and organisations for the second day on Friday. The bandh call given by Opposition parties evoked a near total effect in Puducherry where the Union Territory saw the anger of people against the Tamil Nadu government.
It was the Puducherry Students Federation which resorted to a novel agitation to condemn the police firing at Thoothukudi in which 13 people were killed. Two students dressed as Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edappadi Palaniswami and Deputy Chief Minister O. Panneerselvam were seen forced to walk through the streets from the Nellithope signal to the new bus stand amidst loud slogans by the protestors against the AIADMK government. The message was clear, "You are going to face the anger of people who will make you walk like this through the streets one day."
During the course of the procession the protesting students were seen feeding the 'leaders' salt and even pretending as if they were attacking the leaders with slippers. Displeasure with government was visible throughout the protest and protestors used abusive language against the AIADMK government in Tamil Nadu and its leaders. Police officers were mere spectators till the procession reached the Puducherry new bus stand. Here, the two 'leaders' were forced to sit on the road and the students continued raising slogans. At this point, police interrupted and arrested around 50 volunteers.
At the same time, the bandh call given by opposition parties including the DMK and supported by the ruling Congress party in the Union Territory evoked a near total response and passed off peacefully with no untoward incidents.
Almost all shops and other business establishments remained closed. All private buses and Puducherry Road Transport Corporation owned buses were off the road. Tamil Nadu government owned buses operated services.
Political parties and prganizations conducted protests at various points demanding the resignation of the AIADMK government in Tamil Nadu. Around 300 volunteers of various political parties including R Siva MLA of the DMK were arrested when they organised protests and put up road blockades at various points to prevent the plying of Tamil Nadu government buses.
Puducherry Chief Minister V Narayanasamy visited the arrested protestors. Later, he told reporters that he had visited the agitators as a leader of the Congress party. "People have the right to protest and the police action in Tamil Nadu is a clear violation of human rights. A judicial enquiry should be conducted into this," he said.
Police made elaborate security arrangements to maintain law and order during the bandh. Security was provided to central government offices on the direction of Lt Governor Kiran Bedi.
