Chennai: Aiming to set the record straight on the farmers’ agitation in the national capital, Union Information and Broadcasting Minister M. Venkaiah Naidu categorically said the farmers’ agitation pertains to a state issue and that they have to meet the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister to resolve their problems.
“It is an issue concerning the State and it has to be taken up at the State level. The problems of Uttar Pradesh farmers were taken up by the Uttar Pradesh CM. The problems of Andhra Pradesh were taken up by the Andhra Chief Minister. The problems of any state matter have to be taken up by the State government concerned. So, they should meet the state government and try to sort out the issues concerning the waiver of loans,” he said on Sunday.
Speaking to reporters here on Sunday, he said as far as the Central Government was concerned, there is a well laid down formula. “Let’s us not politicise. The farmers are in distress because of lack of rains and drought conditions,” he said. The Government of India had sent central teams and given central relief as per norms, he added.
The farmers have been demanding Rs. 40,000-crore drought relief package, farm loan waiver and setting up of the Cauvery Management Board by the Centre. Over the last 39 days, they had a series of protests, shaved their heads, halved their moustaches, held mice and snakes in their mouths, conducted mock funerals, flogged themselves and even held skulls allegedly belonging to distraught farmers who committed suicide.
