Reel hero CM Vijay fails farmers in real life, says PMK president Anbumani

CHENNAI: PMK president Anbumani Ramadoss on Monday took a dig at actor-Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay, saying that he "saves farmers only in films."

Releasing the party's shadow agricultural budget, Anbumani demanded a complete farm loan waiver, higher minimum support prices, and greater budgetary allocation for the agriculture sector. He urged the TVK government to allocate 25 per cent of its total budget to agriculture and implement a complete waiver of farm loans.

Anbumani demanded an increase in the Minimum Support Price (MSP) for paddy to Rs 3,500 per quintal and Rs 5,000 per tonne for sugarcane. He further called for special legislation mandating compulsory procurement of agricultural produce to protect farmers from market fluctuations.

Addressing reporters after releasing the shadow budget, Anbumani alleged that both the DMK and AIADMK had failed to adequately develop agricultural infrastructure in the State.

Responding to reports that the State government is considering establishing a SIPCOT industrial park on land acquired for the proposed Parandur airport project, Anbumani said, "We agree that Chennai needs a second airport. However, the site selected for the project is not appropriate. If a SIPCOT park is established on the acquired land, it would be even more harmful to the environment than the airport itself," he said.

On speculation regarding a possible alliance between PMK and the ruling TVK, Anbumani dismissed the reports and clarified that his recent meeting with Water Resources Minister N Anand was solely related to public welfare issues.

"If I wanted to discuss an alliance with TVK, why would I do so at the Secretariat? My meeting with minister Anand was purely for the welfare of the State and had no political purpose, " he said.

Reiterating his demand for a complete farm loan waiver, Anbumani cited Maharashtra as an example and questioned why Tamil Nadu could not implement a similar measure. And criticising Chief Minister Vijay, he said, "Farmers are being saved only in Vijay's films, not in real life."