District-level functionaries and cadre of the Tamil Nadu Congress Committee (TNCC) on Wednesday, February 28, 2024, were arrested at the new bus terminus in Gudiyatham town near Vellore, for organising a black flag protest against Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is on a visit to Tamil Nadu.
Tense moments prevailed at 11 a.m., when cadre, led by G. Sureshkumar, president, Vellore Central Congress Committee (VCCC) held the protest against Mr. Modi. The protest was staged to criticise the Centre for not taking any steps to safeguard the livelihood of fishermen in Tamil Nadu, especially those around Rameswaram, the protesters said. “As directed by our TNCC’s president K. Selvaperunthagai, we organised the protest against the indifferent attitude of the Centre, led by Mr. Modi, to the plight of our fishermen,” said Mr. Sureshkumar.
The agitation comes in the wake of a series of protests by fishers of Ramanathapuram district, over the continual arrests of members of their community by the Sri Lankan Navy, and the recent jail terms that some of them have been sentenced to in the island nation.
In order to prevent any untoward incidents, a large team of police personnel were deployed. After the peaceful protest, the Congress workers were arrested and taken in buses to a hall in the town. The Gudiyatham Town police has registered cases against 57 local functionaries and cadre of the TNCC for the protest, as permission was not given for it. The cadre were to be released later in the day, police said.
