The AIADMK co-ordinator, O. Panneerselvam, on Monday expressed surprise over the trend of increase in the price of yarn despite the Centre waiving the custom duty on cotton import.
In a statement, he referred to the possibility of certain vested interests creating an artificial scarcity of cotton and pushing up the price of the commodity. He wanted the State government to ascertain the causes for the price hike. He called upon Chief Minister M.K. Stalin to hold discussion with the Centre and take steps for getting the price reduced.
Mr. Panneerselvam issued the statement in the light of a two-day strike called by sections of the textile industry in Erode, Tiruppur and Coimbatore districts, commencing on Monday.
In a series of tweets, the AMMK general secretary T.T.V. Dhinakaran, condemned the rise in yarn prices. Pointing out that it was not proper for the Centre to ignore the problem of the industry, he appealed to it to resolve the issue at the earliest
Meanwhile, in another series of tweets, the sidelined former interim general secretary of the AIADMK, V.K. Sasikala, called for a thorough investigation by the State government into the factors that led to an accident at a stone quarry in Tirunelveli district on the night of Saturday and bring to book the guilty.