TN This Week: Statewide Support for Farmers, AIADMK Govt ‘Pre-Fixing Tenders’, Poor Performance of COVID-19 Vaccination Drive

The massive solidarity expressed to the farmers' cause from all sections of people in Tamil Nadu on Republic Day tops this week's news, with tractor and two-wheeler rallies held in all district capitals. Farmers, working class and youth battled with the police force and ensured they marked their support in the struggle for the repealing of the infamous farm laws.

Meanwhile, the anti-corruption body Arappor Iyakkam has once again exposed the AIADMK government's alleged corrupt moves. Even as one of the tenders for Rs 494 crore, which was earlier cancelled, has now been refloated and allegedly prefixed again.

In the second week now, the state continues to perform poorly at meeting the daily COVID-19 vaccine targets. Since the immunisation programme began, the state has crossed only 35% of the two weeks' target. NewsClick presents a round-up of this week’s happenings across Tamil Nadu.

AIADMK ANXIOUS: SASIKALA RELEASE AND JAYALALITHA MEMORIAL

Late CM J. Jayalalithaa's close aide V. K. Sasikala was released from jail on January 27. However, she continues to remain out of public eyes due to her COVID-19 treatment.

On the same day, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami unveiled the Rs. 80 crore worth phoenix-shaped Jayalalithaa memorial at the Marina Beach in Chennai. Deputy CM O. Panneer Selvam, several All India Annatra Dravidra Munnetra Kazhagam (AIDMK) leaders and thousands of party cadres were present at the occasion, as COVID-19 protocols were sent for a toss on the day. 

The clubbing of the memorial inauguration with Sasikala's release is being considered as no coincidence and possibly even a diversion tactic. It is anticipated that her release would have an impact on the upcoming Assembly elections in the state, that would not be much to the likings of the present CM and Deputy CM. Read More

The next day, on January 28, Jayalalithaa’s long-stayed residence ‘Veda Nilayam’ was also declared as a memorial building by the CM. But a large number of the AIADMK cadres standing outside the residence in Poes Garden, Chennai, were disappointed because they were denied entry inside the gates.

ANOTHER GOVT TENDER CORRUPTION EXPOSED

The prediction of the Arappor Iyakkam (API) has once again come true on fixing tenders for road works in the highways department. The refloated tender worth Rs 494 crore has been allegedly prefixed by the authorities concerned. The bids were opened earlier on January 12, but the anti-corruption organisation had e-mailed the authorities in the state government and Highways Department, well in advance detailing the winners of the bid.

One of the bids worth Rs 494 crore was cancelled for JSV Infra citing lack of prerequisites following the complaint of the API. However, things have not changed as again the same organisation is allegedly being allocated with the refloated tender. 

The API, in a statement, has said, “Arappor then exposed how the exact same contractors whom Arappor named, RR Infra Construction and JSV Infra had won the tenders. Subsequently one of the tenders for Rs 494 crore was cancelled and this has now been refloated and prefixed again”.  Read More

FARMERS SOLIDARITY PROTESTS ACROSS TN

Tamil Nadu saw massive protests against the three farm laws on Republic Day. The protests were held simultaneously with the parade of farmers entering Delhi after two months of camping on the borders of the national capital. 

The call for two-wheeler rallies, tractor parades and public meetings was given by farmers’ organisations, trade unions, and student and youth organisations. Protest demonstrations were held in all the district capitals.

The rallies were attended by the members of farmers organisations and political parties including the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK), Communist Party of India (Marxist), CPI, Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi, and Congress and Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (MDMK). Read More

PARTIAL SUCCESS FOR PROTESTING MEDICAL STUDENTS

After 51 days of protests demanding fee reduction at par with other state-run medical colleges, the Tamil Nadu government brought the Rajah Muthiah Medical College (RMMC) under the State Department for Health and Family Welfare. The government order issued on January 27 shifted the college’s affiliation from Annamalai University to Dr MGR Medical University.

However, the order does not make references to tuition fee reduction. Students are continuing the indefinite protest and awaiting the newly affiliated university to release a modified fee structure.

Students from other medical colleges across Tamil Nadu, including Omandur Medical College and Thanjavur Medical College, also extended solidarity to RMMC students. Read More

GOVT. NURSES GO ON STRIKE

On January 29, tens of thousands of state government nurses from all over Tamil Nadu went on strike stressing on a five-point charter of demands. The nurses recruited as contract workers are demanding regularisation of jobs, and the permanent employees want pay at par with central government nurses.

Ashwini Grace Jebapriya, a nurse at Omandur Medical College and state joint secretary of Tamil Nadu MRB Nurses Empowerment Association (TNMNEA), said, “If the state was looking to hire and fire nurses, they should have outsourced the work, but we passed the Medical Recruitment Board (MRB) examinations and got recruited for permanent employment.”

Of the 17,000 MRB nurses who were recruited in 2015, only 2,000 were regularised. After a huge agitation in 2017, the temporary nurses’ salary was raised from Rs. 7,700 per month to Rs. 14,000, but they are yet to be absorbed as permanent employees.

The nurses are also demanding the government to provide compensation to the families of nurses who have in service duering the pandemic and COVID-19 complications.

YOUTH URGE TO FILL VACANCIES IN TANGEDCO

Under the leadership of the Democratic Youth Federation of India, a huge demonstration was staged on January 29 demanding the fulfilment of vacancies in the Tamil Nadu Generation and Distribution Corporation (TANGEDCO). The demonstration towards the St. George Fort, Chennai was against the delayed appointments to gang man positions.

In March last year, tests were held for 10,000 gang man positions. Though the results were announced in May, appointments to the positions are still pending. Representatives of the government are citing legalities, but DYFI is of the stand that this is a measure to privatise the  corporation.

Scores of youths led by the DYFI protested in front of the TANGEDCO offices in November last year with the same demand. But, neither TANGEDCO nor the Tamil Nadu government ensured appointments.

COVID-19: POOR PERFORMANCE IN VACCINE DRIVE

As part of its COVID-19 vaccination drive, the state vaccinated 8,086 people on January 27 against its capacity of 17,900. While 7,885 health and frontline workers received Covishield and 201 received Covaxin vaccine.

The state, which has a target of vaccinating 6 lakh healthcare workers, has vaccinated only 88,467 people against the estimated capacity of 2,30,800 in the last 13 days.

Overall, 2,05,800 people in Tamil Nadu have been vaccinated against COVID-19 till date.

BJP LEADER’S GENDER-INSENSITIVE COMMENT

Actor Khushbu, an active member of the Bharatiya Janata Party, scoffed at fellow BJP member and party’s state IT wing chief C T R Nirmal Kumar for demeaning Congress leader Sonia Gandhi on social media. In response to Rahul Gandhi’s words, “Knickerwallahs’ from Nagpur can never ever decide future of the state”, Kumar had said, referring to Sonia Gandhi, “When a bar dancer from Italy is trying to decide the fate of India, we have all the right to decide the fate of not only Tamil Nadu, but the entire nation.”

Rahul Gandhi was in Tamil Nadu for three days earlier this week to begin the party’s election campaign. He met party members and addressed gatherings in five districts.