CHENNAI: Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay on Wednesday announced that all cases registered against protesting farmers and teachers during the previous DMK regime (May 2021-April 2026) will be withdrawn. Making the announcement in the Assembly under Rule 110, the CM said the government has decided to withdraw the cases on humanitarian and democratic grounds, asserting that it respects people’s right to freedom of expression and the right to protest.
Vijay said the Goondas Act had been invoked against farmers in Tiruvannamalai who opposed the SIPCOT industrial estate project.Referring to agitations against now-scrapped Parandur airport project, the CM said cases registered against farmers by the previous regime are still pending.
Describing farmers as the backbone of society and vital to the country’s economic progress and food security, Vijay said teachers, who play a key role in promoting education and social progress, had faced similar cases while fighting through democratic means for their legitimate demands and rights. The pending cases had caused considerable mental distress to farmers and teachers, the CM pointed out. Vijay asserted that the withdrawal of the cases would reinforce trust between ordinary people and the government.
While the CPI, CPM and PMK welcomed the announcement, the DMK sought clarification on whether cases booked against those staging protests since May 2026 would also be withdrawn. Former minister and DMK MLA MRK Panneerselvam sought to know if cases against farmers protesting for a complete crop loan waiver would be quashed.
DMK MLA S Austin raised objection to the part of Vijay’s statement that mentioned “cases filed during the previous regime”. Former DMK minister EV Velu too objected to the wording, which he said pointed fingers at the previous regime. “Cases are registered by the police solely to maintain law and order. Will the present government not file any case against anyone hereafter?” he quipped.Leader of the Opposition Udhayanidhi Stalin said that during the previous DMK regime, more than 5,000 cases had been withdrawn.
Joining the debate, CPI MLA T Ramachandran said cases filed against anti-NEET protesters should also be withdrawn. A similar request was made by PMK’s Sowmya Anbumani for those facing cases for NLC agitations.
Former Law Minister CVe Shanmugam urged the government to withdraw political cases allegedly foisted by the previous government. The AIADMK MLA said he was also a victim of such cases, which he was capable of facing in court, and sought relief for others affected.
PWD Minister Aadhav Arjuna said various farmers’ associations had met the CM and requested the withdrawal of the cases as they were spending considerable time in court. “There is no politics in this gesture (by the CM),” he added.