Coimbatore : Two Lok Sabha MPs of Left parties were among 800 workers of eight major trade unions who were arrested Wednesday, while attempting to stage demonstration as part of the Nation-wide bandh call given by them to protest against what they termed as the “anti-labour” policies of the BJP-led government at the centre.

The protest demonstration was led by CPI MP, K Subbaryan, who is also Tamill Nadu AITUC president and CPIM MP, P R Natarajan and raised slogans against the amendment to labour laws from 44 to four, economic slowdown filling up of government job vacancies creating new jobs and fixing Rs.21,000 as minimum wage.

As the workers attempted to stage demonstration near Telegraph office near District Collectorate, police arrested and taken the waiting vans.

Similar protest demonstations were held at Valparai, Pollachi and Mettupalayam in the district and Tirupur, police said adding, about 15,000 autorikshaws in the city did not ply in support of the bandh.

However, majority of the Government buses and also private ones plied as usual, without having much effect on normal life, they said.

Meanwhile, with a total bandh reported in Kerala, the Tamil Nadu government buses plying to that state did not ply.

The goods vehicles were stopped at Walayar at Tamil Nadu-Kerala border.