Parties back farmers’ rail blockade call

The DMK announced that it would support the agitation being organised in the wake of spate of suicides by farmers across the state due to losses. 

PMK founder Dr S Ramadoss in a statement here, said there has been increase in incidents of farmers committing suicide in the state unable to bear the loan burden. 

Recalling the suicide of farmer Alagar in Arayalur after being insulted by a financial institution for not repaying the loan and the assault on a farmer, Balan, by the bank authorities and police in public view in Thanjavur recently, he said the loan burden faced by them and inadequate price for their produce were said to be the main reasons for the suicide. 

Since they were not able to pay their dues, the farmers were harassed by the financial institutions and their tractors seized, he said and blamed the Central and the State governments for not heeding to their requests.

Demanding waiver of farm loans and payment of adequate price for their produce, the farmers’ federation have called for an agitation on April 5 and the PMK, which always espouses the cause of the farmers, would support it, Dr Ramadoss said. 

MDMK General Secretary Vaiko, who heads the four-party People’s Welfare Front, and Kongunadu Jananayaga Katchi have also pledged their support to the farmers’ agitation.