The AIADMK will stage protests across Tamil Nadu on Friday, demanding a complete waiver of farmers’ crop loans and raising concerns over the Cauvery water dispute.
AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K. Palaniswami will lead the main demonstration at the Head Post Office in Thanjavur, which is scheduled to begin at around 9.30am. He is expected to address party workers, farmers and supporters at the venue.
The party has announced demonstrations at all district headquarters across the state as part of its campaign on farmers’ welfare and the Cauvery water issue.
The protests will also target what the AIADMK has described as the government’s alleged inaction over the proposed Mekedatu project in neighbouring Karnataka. The party has accused the government of failing to take adequate steps to safeguard Tamil Nadu’s share of Cauvery river water.
Palaniswami had called for the statewide protests, with a complete waiver of crop loans among the key demands. The AIADMK is expected to highlight the financial difficulties faced by farmers and press the government to provide relief.
The Mekedatu project has remained a contentious issue between Karnataka and Tamil Nadu, with Tamil Nadu opposing the proposal over concerns that it could affect the state’s share of Cauvery water.
The Thanjavur protest is particularly significant as the district forms part of the Cauvery delta and is one of Tamil Nadu’s major agricultural regions. Cauvery water is crucial to farmers in the area, particularly those dependent on paddy cultivation.
AIADMK leaders and workers are expected to join the demonstration alongside farmers and party supporters. Palaniswami is likely to focus on the party’s demands and criticise the government’s handling of farmers’ concerns and the Cauvery water dispute.
The statewide protests form part of the AIADMK’s broader political campaign to put pressure on the government over agricultural and water-related issues.
(With inputs from ANI)