NEW DELHI: Not getting any assurance from the central government the farmers from Tamil Nadu protesting in Delhi on Monday submitted a Memorandum of demands to the President of India Ramnath Kovind seeking permission to commit suicide.
In the memorandum the farmers requested, “Please give us appointment to meet the president and Prime Minister Narendra Modi to discuss our matter. Otherwise give us permission to commit suicide” said the letter drafted by Ayyakannu.
The farmers who are protesting at Jantar Mantar second time for the last 37 days demanding interlinking of perennial rivers of all the states. In the memorandum the association also requested the ministry to waive off the loans taken by the farmers and sanction Rs. 40,000 for drought relief to the farmers”.
“We request the ministry to listen to our consideration as we old people are protesting here thousands of farmers are committing suicide because of crop failure. We request the president either meet us and discover our problem otherwise we will commit suicide” said Prem, Personal Assistant of Ayyakannu, head of the protest.
The farmers also demanded for the implementation of river linking project as soon as possible through constituting a separate body like National Highway Authority of India and a monthly pension of Rs.5000 for all the male and female agriculturalists irrespective of their land holdings.
Meanwhile the protestors have on temporary basis developed a small farm at the protest site surrounded by skulls of the family members on the four sides.