Madurai, Aug 2: Dr. K. Krishnaswamy, leader of the Puthiya Tamilagam party, has called for legal relief for the workers of the Manjolai tea estate in Tirunelveli, emphasizing that their rights must be upheld according to the law.Speaking in Madurai, Krishnaswamy highlighted that six cases related to the Manjolai issue are currently pending in court. He noted that since 1929, over 600 families have lived and worked in Mancholai, with tea estate labor being their primary source of livelihood. According to Krishnaswamy, these workers have the legal right to reside in Manjolai under the Forest Rights Act of 2006.
Krishnaswamy criticized the Tamil Nadu government’s response to the court’s inquiries, stating that the information provided by the government was inconsistent with the court’s requirements. He also condemned the forced eviction of workers by the police, arguing that the government’s relief measures have failed to satisfy the court.
Krishnaswamy further announced that the central government’s Ministry of Tribal Affairs has been made a party to the Manjolai case. He insisted that the Tamil Nadu government should not merely show sympathy but should instead provide the workers with legal relief as per the law.
Additionally, Krishnaswamy addressed the potential involvement of the Don Tea Company in managing the Manjolai tea estate, stating that there is no agreement for them to take over operations. Instead, he urged the government to allow the workers themselves to manage the estate, granting them the necessary permissions to do so.