A statement has been released by V. Annamalai, National Secretary of AIFETO (All India Federation of Elementary Teachers’ Organisations) and Senior Leader of the Thamizhaga Aasiriyar Koottani. He expressed sadness that the Dravidian Model government has taken away the right to protest.
Suppression: Midnight Intimidation
On 8.12.2025, TITOJAC executives planned a sit-in protest in front of the Directorate of Elementary Education in Chennai to demand 10 key changes. However, the night before, on 7.12.2025, after 10 PM, the police visited the homes of most participants, including women wing members. They took photographs and warned them not to attend the protest. In Thanjavur district (Kumbakonam block, Papanasam block, Peravurani), Tiruchi, Manapparai, and Marungapuri, the police arrested some executives, placed them under house arrest, and released them the next morning.
Dravidian Model: Snatching Away Rights
“We stand having lost even the right to protest under the Dravidian Model government.” JACTO-GEO affiliated unions and the All India organisation AIFETO strongly condemned the police’s actions. Over one thousand movement executives participated in the sit-in protest. They raised demands that resonated widely, held up the TITOJAC banner, and demonstrated their strength. We commend them.
Chief Minister’s Magic Wand
The Principal Secretary of the School Education Department has invited us for talks. What will happen? The School Education Minister needs to make the decision and announce it. We will wait to see what he decides!
“We also played a role in helping Muthuvel Karunanidhi Stalin become the Chief Minister on May 7, 2021,” and even if this Dravidian Model government forgets this, can we forget it? To protect teachers’ confidence, we will work together to save the unions and their members.
Tamil Nadu currently feels like a battlefield. All sections of people are protesting. The DMK government led by M.K. Stalin is nearing four and a half years in power. With only three more months until the general election announcement for the Legislative Assembly, none of the election promises have been fulfilled so far.
JACTO-GEO, TITOJAC, and other federations are protesting together, setting up various frameworks to push for the Old Pension Scheme (OPS). We are being called for talks. The Chief Minister has been giving the same assurance for four and a half years: “Who else is going to do this if we don’t, after receiving your demands? We will do it. We will not abandon you.” Union leaders meeting the CM convey this assurance confidently, without explicitly stating the promise that “who else will we vote for besides you.” In this situation, how will the demands be met? There are no visible signs of fulfillment in sight.
Chief Minister M.K. Stalin is known for his ability to quickly resolve issues with a few minutes of negotiations. This government does not take action; it does not implement the Old Pension Scheme; it does not address pay issues; it is causing stress by deducting large sums given by Karunanidhi during his son’s leadership—and this list could go on.
This DMK government also changed the seniority list for primary school teachers, moving it from the union level to the state level through GO 243, which has caused hardship for 90 percent of women teachers. Families of special teachers, Anganwadi workers, midday meal organisers, sanitation workers, transport sector employees, and trade union members have been pushed into a position where they will likely vote against the ruling party in the general election.
Parliamentary Silence: Who Remembers Tamil Nadu?
The Parliamentary Winter Session, which began on the 1st, continues until the 19th. The BJP Member of Parliament from West Bengal met Prime Minister Modi with teacher union leaders, submitted a petition seeking a legal amendment to grant exemption from TET to teachers, and shared a photo of the union leaders with the Prime Minister.
In the Lok Sabha, the Congress representative from Uttar Pradesh, the Samajwadi member, the Telangana member, and the CPI member in the Rajya Sabha urged for a legal amendment to protect teachers from TET.
But what about Tamil Nadu? Between December 1st and 8th, 20 members from the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam spoke in Parliament. Senior advocate Wilson spoke twice in the Rajya Sabha. No member mentioned TET. Why have the Tamil Nadu government and our MPs forgotten us? Time will tell.
Contact AIFETO Mr. Annamalai @ 94442 12060 / 9962222314. annamalaiaifeto@gmail.com
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