As the indefinite hunger strike by Pembilai Orumai demanding the resignation of Power Minister MM Mani enters the fifth day, the protestors have been forcibly arrested and shifted to a hospital owing to deteriorating health.
Though the protestors had resisted the arrest, police used force to take them into custody.
On Friday, when police tried to shift all the protestors to hospital citing poor health, the Orumai workers had resisted.
Police forcibly arrested the main leaders, Gomathi and Rajeshwari, first on Saturday and took them to hospital.
Following this, other Orumai workers were also arrested.
Rajeswari was arrested on Saturday morning and Gomathi was arrested in the afternoon.
On Saturday morning, doctors said that the women’s health was worsening. However, Orumai leaders have maintained that they will continue the strike even after being shifted to hospital.
“We will not allow them to break our fasting. We have no health problems, we will not take any food even if we are admitted in hospital,” Gomathi told media after her arrest.
It was last Monday that the protesting women took to the streets of Munnar, lambasting the state Electricity Minister's offensive remarks against their women's collective Pembilai Orumai.
Gomathi Augustine had earlier led the agitation of plantation workers in Munnar in 2015, in a battle against Kannan Devan for better wages. She declared that the collective will continue their protest until minister MM Mani falls on their feet and apologises or resigns from his post.