Chennai: Farmers’ leader P. Ayyakannu has approached the Madras High Court to direct Chennai’s police commissioner to permit him to stage a hunger strike on Marina, demanding constitution of Cauvery Management Board, for 90 continuous days.
When the petition came up for hearing on Thursday, Justice T. Raja asked the counsel for the petitioner to inform the petitioner not to resort to naked protest and directed the counsel to get instructions from the petitioner as to the exact number of days for the protest since permission for 90 days cannot be granted in a public place like Marina.
The judge posted to April 13, further hearing of the case. In his petition, Ayyakannu submitted that Cauvery Management Board was a long pending demand of Tamil Nadu. The state government filed a petition in the Supreme Court, seeking constitution of CMB to get proper share of water from Cauvery.
The Apex Court directed the central government to constitute a scheme for management of Cauvery water within 45 days.
The deadline expired on March 30. But the Central government has failed to constitute CMB. Therefore, demanding constitution of CMB immediately, the farmers have planned to stage hunger strike on Marina, he added.
