Chennai — Union minister L. Murugan slammed the DMK government for what he called “cosmetic gestures” as thousands of sanitation workers continue a three‑month protest demanding job security and an end to the privatisation of solid‑waste management.
Sanitation crews from several unions have been picketing city streets for over a month, pushing for regularisation of services and opposing the outsourcing of waste‑collection work in the Royapuram and Thiru Vi Ka Nagar zones of the Greater Chennai Corporation. They say the privatisation move threatens their livelihoods and erodes years of service to the city.
Murugan said the government shows “no real intent” to address the workers’ concerns, even as the protest grows. He criticised the state’s recent announcement of a free‑meal programme that will launch on November 15. The minister called the initiative a publicity stunt designed only to create media buzz, not to offer lasting support.
In a post on X, Murugan questioned whether the promised variety of meals would continue after the inaugural event attended by Chief Minister M. K. Stalin. He compared it to the free‑breakfast scheme for students, noting that special dishes like puri, pongal and vada appear only when the chief minister is present for photos.
The minister accused the DMK administration of prioritising media-friendly campaigns over real welfare. He described the government as “a regime in its final days, busy with collection, corruption and commission,” and said its welfare measures follow an “advertising model” that hides systemic neglect.
“If the chief minister truly cared for sanitation workers, he would have acted on their long‑pending demands instead of staging events for media coverage,” Murugan added.
The comments add pressure on the DMK government as sanitation workers fear that outsourcing will erode job security and expose them to exploitation. The Greater Chennai Corporation maintains that privatisation will improve efficiency, while unions warn that hundreds of workers could lose stable employment.
The protest is now in its fourth month. The workers promise to stay on strike unless the government engages in a meaningful, lasting dialogue and responds to their demands.
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