Munnar: S. Rajendran, MLA, Devikulam constituency, Saturday has begun a hunger strike to express his solidarity to the striking plantation workers in Munnar.
The MLA has told reporters that he will continue the stir until the issue is resolved.
Significantly, the plantation workers have come out against S. Rajendran’s hunger strike. “We don’t want him to protest for us. The MLA had portrayed us as terrorists,” they told a news channel.
The ongoing siege of Munnar town by more than 7,000 plantation workers entered the eighth day today.
Meanwhile, Chief Minister Oommen Chandy has said the government will intervene into the issue.
“Their demands of the workers are reasonable and their issues cannot be ignored,” said Chandy.
“A talk will be held with them on Sunday. Labour Minister Shibu Baby John and Power Minister Aryadan Mohammed have been assigned to to find an early solution to the issue,” he said.
Yesterday, the MLA who reached the spot was chased away by protesters.
"This is the seventh day that we are protesting in the streets and it's only today that he (Rajendran) has come to meet us. That's why we did not want to speak to him," said a group of angry women labourers.
The KDHP management, in a press release, said a misinformation campaign was being carried out against the company by vested interests.