CHENNAI: Actor and Makkal Needhi Maiam president Kamal Haasan on Saturday demanded the public sector NLC drop its expansion plan considering the public opposition to it.
"The state government should never support the attempt to acquire agricultural lands despite the opposition of the farmers. Depriving the farmers of their farmland under any circumstances is not acceptable. If development can only be achieved by destroying the livelihoods of the agrarian masses, then there is no need for such development, " Haasan said in a statement.
He said that respecting the sentiments of farmers and public land acquisition should be stopped immediately. "I urge the central and state governments to come forward to fulfil all the demands of those who have already given land, " he said.
He said that despite farmers' opposition, NLC has commenced canal digging works at the Valaiyamadevi area. "The paddy crops that were ready for harvest were destroyed during the land acquisition process. Police were mobilised in large numbers expecting resistance from the farmers. In spite of this, protests broke out and vehicles including buses were attacked, " he said, adding that farmers have already been forced out of farming due to various crises and destruction of agricultural lands in the name of development in the context of shrinking cultivable land is an injustice against humanity.