In Coimbiatore, 650 families from Kalangal, Sulur protested the proposed merger with municipality, fearing increased taxes and economic hardship.
Coimbatore: In an unusual protest, residents of Kalangal in the Sulur constituency, along with members of the Hindustan Makkal Seva Iyakkam, blindfolded themselves with black cloth as they submitted a petition to the Coimbatore District Collector. They expressed their refusal to merge their village panchayat with the municipality, asserting that such a move would escalate their living costs significantly.
Manikandan, the leader of the Hindustan Makkal Seva Iyakkam, while addressing the media, stated, "In Kalangal, there are 650 families who live and work under the 100 days work scheme. They sustain their livelihood with this employment. If the panchayat is merged with the municipality, it will lead to increased taxes which these families cannot afford. Therefore, merging Kalangal Panchayat with the municipality should be avoided to protect the economic welfare of these families."
Manikandan, the leader of the Hindustan Makkal Seva Iyakkam, while addressing the media, stated, "In Kalangal, there are 650 families who live and work under the 100 days work scheme. They sustain their livelihood with this employment. If the panchayat is merged with the municipality, it will lead to increased taxes which these families cannot afford. Therefore, merging Kalangal Panchayat with the municipality should be avoided to protect the economic welfare of these families."