Over a lakh of teachers from across the State are expected to participate in a massive protest in Chennai on Tuesday organised by the Joint Action Committee of Tamil Nadu Teachers’ Organisations — Government Employees’ Organisations (JACTTO-GEO). The teachers have four demands: repeal of the new pension scheme, settlement of pay arrears according to new pay commission guidelines, settlement of pay anomalies for secondary teachers and regularisation of jobs of part-time staff and teachers.

JACTTO organised several small protests in various districts across the State including in Madurai, Nagercoil and Vellore on Monday and several members of the group were arrested. The police have also been making preventive arrests and have asked bus and van drivers to not transport teachers to the protests, alleged A Mayavan from JACTTO. The total number of protesters gathering in Chennai may dip if they are detained in their hometowns.

The arrest of teachers came in for criticism from trade unions and opposition parties. AIADMK Minister D Jayakumar in a statement on Monday said 70 percent of government revenue was spent on employees’ welfare and urged withdrawal of the protest.