Chennai: Opposition Leader M.K. Stalin on Sunday asked Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palanisami to urgently cancel his by-poll campaign and rush to New Delhi to parade the protesting farmers before Prime Minister Narendra Modi and highlight their plight due to the unprecedented drought that hit Tamil Nadu.
In a hard-hitting statement, Stalin said it was “shameful” that Chief Minister of a state is “fetching votes in favour of an accused under Fera” in RK Nagar bypolls.
Talking in detail about the protest by farmers from Tamil Nadu in New Delhi for the past two weeks, the DMK working president said ryots have been agitating demanding special package from the Centre to save their livelihood.
“DMK MPs met the protesting farmers in New Delhi and pledged support to their agitation. As Opposition Leader, I also demanded the benami government in Tamil Nadu to waive off farm loans availed by farmers in my Budget speech in the Assembly,” Stalin said.
He also accused the Narendra Modi dispensation of failing to protect the interest of farmers. Farmers had received support from their counterparts in states like UP, Haryana and Punjab but the State has not uttered a word on the issue, he said.
The farmers had received support from their counterparts in states like Uttar Pradesh, Haryana and Punjab. and people from all walks of life, but the State Government has not uttered a word on the “sensitive issue” he said.
“It is shameful that the Chief Minister who should have rushed to New Delhi and convinced the farmers by giving them an assurance is campaigning for FERA accused (T T V Dhinakaran),” he said in the statement.
The DMK leader also accused the BJP Government at the Centre of turning a blind eye to the plight of the farmers. He also accused the Narendra Modi dispensation of failing to protect the interest of farmers and implementing farmer-friendly projects as promised in the BJP’s 2014 election manifesto.
“The Centre has not allotted funds demanded by the Tamil Nadu Government. In this scenario, the Chief Minister should cancel his election campaign, rush to New Delhi and take the farmers to the Prime Minister to highlight their plight and get due amount of relief for the state,” Mr Stalin said.
