TIRUVANNAMALAI: After a long-standing tussle with Tamil Nadu police, Yogendra Yadav, the national president of Swaraj India who came to Tiruvannamalai on an invitation of the movement against Chennai-Salem eight-lane highway project to meet farmers protesting against the project, was given permission by the district administration to hold a meeting with the farmers at Nammiyanthal village in the district late night on Saturday.
Speaking to Express over phone, Arul Arumugam, who was detained along with Yadav, said that after the second detention at around 6 pm, police came to the marriage hall where they were detained and told them to hold a meeting with farmers and representatives.under their supervision. However, they agreed to allow the detained to conduct a meeting with about 40 farmers at a private hall in Nammiyanthal at 10.30 pm without police presence.
“After the meeting, we left for my house and stayed there. At 9.00 in the morning on Sunday, we left for Karur district where we had arranged for a public meeting on behalf of Swaraj India,” he said.
Asked about the incident, Deputy Superintendent of Police, Chengam, told Express, “The farmers of Nammiyanthal had been called to assemble at a private marriage hall in Kanchi village where Yadav and the farmers’ representatives conducted a meeting regarding the green corridor at night. They left for Athipaadi village and at 9.00 in the morning on Sunday, Yogendra left for Karur district.”