The protest was to mark the “failure of the Central and the State governments in providing adequate relief and rehabilitation to people, and the Tamil Nadu government’s decision to reopen Tasmac shops”

Leaders and cadres of the DMK and its friendly parties will wear black badges and raise slogans on May 7 to highlight the State government’s “failure to provide proper relief and rehabilitation of people affected due to the COVID-19 pandemic” and to condemn its decision to open TASMAC-run liquor shops.

Black-badge agitation to highlight ‘failure’ of State govt. on the COVID-19 front

On Monday, the Tamil Nadu government had announced the opening of TASMAC outlets (state-run liquor shops) in all areas except in containment zones.

The state government struggling for revenue had decided to go ahead with the sales. In 2018-19, TASMAC alone generated revenues of Rs 31,157.83 crore.

Six hundred new Covid-19 positive cases, including 399 in Chennai, were reported in the state today, said state health minister C Vijayabaskar.