EPS slams DMK govt over detaining of 500 nurses following hunger strike for permanent jobs

Chennai, Dec 19 (PTI) AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami on Friday criticised the DMK government for detaining nurses who staged a hunger strike here seeking permanent jobs.

More than 550 nurses were detained late Thursday night when they refused to disperse even after being asked to, the police said on Friday.

In a post on social media platform X, Palaniswami said the nurses, appointed during the COVID-19 pandemic under the previous AIADMK regime, have been staging various protests demanding reinstatement after being dismissed by the present DMK government.

As part of their ongoing protests, members of the Tamil Nadu Nurses Development Association staged a hunger strike on Sivananda Salai in Chennai on Thursday, pressing their demands. The agitation saw the participation of thousands of nurses from across the state, he said.

According to him, around 1,000 nurses were detained by police on Thursday night and taken in buses to the Kilambakkam bus terminus, where they were later dropped off. The protesters continued their agitation at the site, raising slogans against the state government, following which they were again taken into custody and confined in a nearby private marriage hall.

Palaniswami urged Chief Minister M K Stalin to implement the DMK’s 2021 poll promise on regularising the services of nurses appointed during the pandemic period.

He accused the Stalin-led government of having failed to honour several poll assurances and termed it a "failure model" regime.

TVK General Secretary Adhav Arjuna met the protesters late Thursday night to express his party's solidarity with their cause.

The association’s elected members told PTI Videos that the nurses were appointed in 2015 under a consolidated pay system with a promise that their services would be regularised after two years.

They accused the DMK government of "failing" to fulfil election promises made while they were in the opposition.

The nurses’ primary demands include permanent employment status for all MRB (Medical Service Recruitment Board) nurses, provision of maternity leave and implementation of equal pay for equal work. PTI JR JR ADB