TIRUCHY: Even as farmers are camping on the borders of the national capital, farmers and political parties in the Cauvery delta districts intensified their protest on Wednesday in a show of solidarity.
Rains at some places did not dampen their spirits. In Tiruchy, hundreds of cadres of the CPI(M) sat on the railway tracks near Mela Puthur, Jeevapuram station and Edamalaipatti Pudur. They raised slogans demanding repeal of the laws. Police took them into custody. Members of the Tiruchy Urban unit of the Congress also staged a protest on the issue.
Talking to media persons, P R Pandian, president of the coordination committee of Tamil Nadu All Farmers' Association, said, "Despite the State government making appreciable moves like declaring Delta area as Protected Agricultural Zone and formulating a possible solution in the Cauvery dispute, it is disappointing that it is supporting Farm Acts. Amid intense protests across the country, it is highly condemnable that the Union government has not come forward to address the issue. We urge the TN government to stand with the farmers and voice for their welfare."
A state-level executive meeting was held in Tiruchy on Wednesday in which farmers with 36 farmers' association from 22 districts took part. P R Pandian, president of the coordination committee of Tamil Nadu All Farmers' Association, announced that they would lay seige to Raj Bhavan on December 11 and continue their indefinite strike if the issue was not addressed.
45 CPM cadre arrested
Members of farmers organisations affiliated to All India Farmers Struggle coordination committee (AIKSCC) staged a protest in front of Thanjavur railway junction, braving the rain. They urged to stop the attack on protesting farmers in New Delhi and stop 'enriching' corporate companies through the Farm laws.
National executive committee member of CPI C Mahendran urged the State government to pass resolution against the Farm Laws at the Assembly session. In a separate incident, members of Tamizhaga Cauvery Vivasayigal Sangam, led by P R Pandian, tried to picket railway junction but were prevented by police.
State general secretary of Tamil Nadu Farmers Association V Duraimanickam, state secretary Sami Natarajan, district secretary N V Kannan, were among those present.
Meanwhile, on the second consecutive day, members of CPM picketed the post office. About 45 of them, including district secretary G Neelamegam, were arrested.
In Tiruvaiyaru, Congress members led by north district president T R Loganathan took out a rally with ploughs, which led to the arrest of 62 people.
'Farmers are being brutalised, humiliated'
Amid downpour, cadres of CPI (Communist Party of India) conducted protests across Nagapattinam district on Wednesday. Nagapattinam MP M Selvarasu led the protest in Thirukkuvalai and Thirumarugal. He said,"Farmers should be respected, revered and treated with dignity. Instead, they are being brutalised, insulted and humiliated during their protests in places like New Delhi. We condemn atrocities against them. The Centre should take appropriate steps to talk to them and retract the Farm laws. " He also expressed dissatisfaction over Prime Minister's explanation on the Acts calling it 'practically illogical'. The Acts would pave way for illegally hoarding commodities and increase in prices. The government should consider stakeholders' opinions, he added.
Protestors held flags, banners and sloganeered in front of taluk offices and bus stands in ayiladuthurai, Sirkazhi and Nagapattinam.