CHENNAI: AMMK leader TTV Dhinakaran and PMK leader Anbumani Ramadoss on Wednesday strongly condemned the expansion of lignite mining of the Neyveli Lignite Corporation (NLC) by destroying the crops.
They demanded the state government to redress the grievances of the farmers and restore their livelihood.
PMK president Anbumani Ramadoss condemned the government action of destroying crops in Valayamadevi village in Cuddalore district to acquire land for NLC. He said that the police have arrested cadres of his party as a preventive measure. "The ruling DMK government claims that it is a friend of farmers. It is unfair to grab land from farmers while passing a separate budget for agriculture, " he said.
He noted that the DMK has unleashed repression against farmers, which is worse than that of Singur and Nandigram.
"Farmers of Cuddalore will not forget and forgive this. Government should stop land acquisition measures. The government and NLC should make way for a law and order situation in the state, " he urged.
Joining the issue, Dhinakaran expressed anguish over the video of destroying the standing crop using a tractor and earthmover to lay lignite mine. It is an unpardonable act. The farmers are raising crops amidst a lot of difficulties.
"What is the urgency to destroy the crops?" he wondered in his social media post.
He said the farmers are unwilling to give up their land, which is their livelihood. He demanded the authorities to immediately drop their plan to lay lignite mines that pose serious danger to the farming activities, he said and tagged Chief Minister M K Stalin.