Chennai: Political leaders, including the Opposition Leader M.K. Stalin, MDMK general secretary Vaiko, VCK president Thol. Thirumavalavan and prominent Left party members, besides thousands of their supporters and farmers, were arrested when they tried to block trains to demonstrate their opposition to the Centre’s refusal to accept the Supreme Court verdict to form the Cauvery Management Board.
Stalin, holding the DMK flag while being accompanied by thousands of party cadre and functionaries, proceeded to the Perambur railway station to commence the 48-hour train blockade agitation announced by opposition parties and associations of farmers. As policemen stopped the Leader of Opposition from entering the railway station, the DMK leaders squatted along the road and raised slogans against the Union government and demanded CMB formation. After about 30 minutes of slogan shouting, DMK leaders led by Stalin, pushed away the barricades and moved to the railway tracks where they squatted to stop a suburban train from Avadi.
Vaiko, CPM state secretary G. Ramakrishnan and CPI leader D. Pandian stopped trains bound for Karnataka at the Central station. There was a scuffle between the police and protesters and heated arguments followed. The Mangalore-bound West Coast Express was delayed by about half an hour. The protesters were arrested after they sat on tracks and shouted slogans for some time.
Addressing the protesters, Vaiko said the Centre had refused to comply with the Supreme Court order and colluded with Karnataka to betray Tamil Nadu farmers. Despite the participation of lakhs of party men and farmers, the demonstrations throughout the state were peaceful.
