NE NEWS SERVICE
CHENNAI, DEC 14
Farmers groups on Monday protested in various parts of Tamil Nadu urging the Central government to withdraw the new farm laws, while DMK and its allies announced a hunger strike here on December 18.
விவசாயிகளை அடித்து மண்டையை உடைத்தால் தமிழக மக்கள் வேடிக்கை பார்த்துக் கொண்டிருக்கமாட்டார்கள் – கே.பாலகிருஷ்ணன், மாநிலச் செயலாளர் #CPIM #CPIMprotest #FarmBill2020 #FarmersProtest2020 #TNpolice More : https://t.co/58VmMtcLMB @kbcpim pic.twitter.com/xYCVqxhVlB
— CPIM Tamilnadu (@tncpim) December 14, 2020
The protests were held in regions including Thanjavur, Mayiladuthurai, Karur and Tiruchirappalli seeking repeal of farm laws and in solidarity with farmers in Delhi who observed a hunger strike today,
Tamil Nadu All Farmers Associations Coordination Committee president P R Pandian said. DMK and its allies including the Left parties announced a hunger strike on December 18 here to express solidarity with farmers protest and their demand for repeal of the three laws.
“We will hold a besiege the Raj Bhavan protest in Chennai on December 18 seeking withdrawal of farm laws,” Pandian said adding the protests were gathering momentum in Tamil Nadu.
Farmers leader, P Ayyakannu, who returned from Delhi after taking part in the protest days ago, submitted a memorandum to the Tamil Nadu government seeking steps to prevail over the Centre to repeal the farm laws.
“We have submitted a petition to Agriculture Secretary, Gagandeep Singh Bedi requesting steps for the repeal of farm laws. In our plea, we have also urged our Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami to not support the farm laws,” Ayyakannu, Chief of National South Indian Rivers Inter-Linking Farmers Association said. The top government official here confirmed the meeting with the farmers leader.
Left parties and Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi cadres took part in protests in several places including Salem and they raised slogans supporting farmers and against leading corporates.
CPI (M) State Secretary K Balakrishnan alleged party workers including veteran, K Balabharathi was ”pushed down” and arrested by police in Dindigul. Attempts to crush the protests through such repressive measures would only end in failure, he said.
In Coimbatore district, about 300 activists belonging to various political parties and organisations were detained when they attempted to picket government offices and block trains. About 90 volunteers, belonging to a farmers association affiliated to the CPI, squatted in front of the Coimbatore District Collectorate and raised slogans against the Centre. Farmer leaders on Monday observed a day-long hunger strike in Delhi against the Centre’s farm laws.
Class VIII student stage fast in Puducherry
In Puducherry union territory, workers of different political parties on Monday staged protests here expressing solidarity with farmers agitating in Delhi against the contentious farm laws while an eighth standard girl student too hit the street in support of their cause.
Dharshini, a student of a private school and daughter of a local journalist, began a ”fast” in front of the Mahatma Gandhi statue on the Beach Road holding placards with slogans asking the Centre to repeal the farm laws. However, she wrapped up her agitation about an hour later as police told her that she had not obtained permission for it.
Leaders and workers of different political parties, including the CPI-M, the Aam Aadmi Party, organised protests separately here and raised slogans, accusing the Centre of bringing in “anti-farmers legislations”. They also extended their support to the ongoing farmers stir across the country and sought repeal of the laws.
