Chennai: Tamil Nadu farmers, who drew attention to their plight by agitating in New Delhi’s Jantar Mantar for more than a month through novel methods, have threatened a “bigger protest” if their demands are not met by the Union Government.
The leader of the farmers, Ayyakannu, said representatives of various farmers groups from Tamil Nadu will travel to New Delhi on May 21 to hold talks with our counterparts from across the country to decide on the future course of action.
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 Union Government.
“We will decide our future course of action on May 21 in New Delhi. We will discuss with farmers from across the country on what should be next - whether to gherao parliament or picket outside Prime Minister’s office and residence. We will plan bigger protests if our demands are not met,” Ayyakannu said.
He was speaking to reporters after meeting with Chief Minister Edappadi K Palanisami along with a delegation demanding desilting of water bodies across the state.
Ayyakannu led the farmers’ protest in New Delhi for 41 days that sent shockwaves across the country. The farmers’ had called off their protest after the chief minister Palanisami met them in New Delhi on April 23 and agreed to look into their demands, besides taking them up with Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
While withdrawing their protest, the farmers had made it clear that they would not hesitate to come back to New Delhi to agitate again if their demands are not met.
Ayyakannu also questioned whether India was a “democratic country” as farmers who question the government are being branded as terrorists.
“I have a doubt whether India is a democratic country because we are being branded as anti-nationals and terrorists. We are fighting for our rights and if the government does not heed to our demands, we have to agitate. Agitation cannot be termed anti-national,” he said.
Ayyakannu was taking a dig at BJP leader H Raja who alleged that he had links with 2001 Parliament attack convict Afzal Guru, who was hanged in February 2013. “If we continue to protest, Raja might even us call as Pakistani terrorists,” he said.
