Angels in Distress: Tamil Nadu Nurses Demand Justice

Nurses in Tamil Nadu continued their protests for the third consecutive day, demanding regularisation and benefits akin to government employees. Working on contractual terms for over ten years, they highlighted the lack of maternity leave and other benefits, despite their crucial role during the pandemic.

Nurses in Tamil Nadu are intensifying their protests, now into its third day, to demand regularisation of their services and benefits similar to those of government employees. Despite playing an instrumental role during the pandemic, these nurses, employed on a contract basis for over a decade, are denied basic benefits like paid maternity leave.

The protest movement, which saw several hundreds braving inclement weather on December 19, was fueled by dissatisfaction over pay disparity and job insecurity. Many protesters even brought their children to the indefinite demonstration, highlighting the desperate need for justice.

Police detained over 500 nurses on December 18 at Kilambakkam as they staged an overnight protest to push for the regularisation of services and the reinstatement of approximately 700 nurses allegedly dismissed for administrative reasons. Initially, nurses initiated a hunger strike at Sivananda Sala in Chepauk.

(With inputs from agencies.)