KRISHNAGIRI: Farmers from Hosur and surrounding areas who went to meet Chief Minister MK Stalin to register their protest against the acquisition of land for the Hosur Greenfield International Airport and Knowledge Corridor were arrested by the police, in Chennai, on Monday evening. Following the arrests, over 150 persons staged a demonstration in Hosur.
Satellite Town Ring Road Farmers Association president V Munivenkatappa (52) of Marachandiram village said, “Following the announcement of Hosur Greenfield International Airport and Knowledge Corridor project, over 10,000 acres of land are set to be acquired by the Krishnagiri district administration, including farmlands. We are continuously opposing this and in this regard, 40 farmers from places in and Hosur went to meet the CM in Chennai, but permission was denied. Subsequently, 67 farmers including those from Hosur were arrested and were unable to enter the party office to submit their petition.”
“If the arrested farmers are not released, thousands of farmers will protest against the DMK government. Farmlands should not be acquired. I have already lost two acres for the STRR project and will lose another 13 acres for Knowledge Corridor Project,” he said.
Police sources in Krishnagiri said, “Farmers were arrested as a preventive measure as many farmers tried to enter the DMK party office. Police allowed less than five farmers inside, and the arrested farmers will be released.”
AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami condemned the arrest of the farmers and alleged that Stalin, before 2021, went with a box to collect petitions from the public but is refusing to meet the farmers and receive petitions after coming to power.