Protesting cane ryots besiege Congress candidate in Athanur
The INDIA Bloc Mayiladuthurai Congress candidate R Sudha went to Papanasam and commenced her campaign in her favour and was moving toward Maruthuvakudi on Saturday.
TIRUCHY: The sugarcane farmers who have been protesting for the past 500 days for various demands including the disbursal of their arrears from Thiru Arooran sugar factory stopped the Mayiladuthurai Congress candidate on Saturday and asked her to hear their grievances.
The INDIA Bloc Mayiladuthurai Congress candidate R Sudha went to Papanasam and commenced her campaign in her favour and was moving toward Maruthuvakudi on Saturday.
When she was proceeding to Athanur village, the farmers who have been protesting against the sugar factory went to the spot and stopped her and told her that the DMK which leads the INDIA Bloc in Tamil Nadu promised during the assembly polls to take hold of the Thiru Arooran Sugar factory and resume production. The DMK also promised to initiate steps to get them their default dues from the factory.
However, instead of fulfilling the promises to the farmers, the factory was handed over to a private firm and a distillery unit has been functioning currently. The farmers who besieged the candidate raised slogans against the state government.
Soon, the candidate Sudha who got down from the campaign vehicle, spoke to the farmers and assured them of fulfilling their demands. She also promised to solve the issue legally. But still, the farmers continued to raise slogans.
Subsequently, police intervened and pacified the protesting farmers. Later, the farmers handed over their petitions to the candidate and dispersed.
