Tamil Nadu: 40 farmers' associations continue protest as talks with ministers fail

TIRUCHY: As the talks between the ministers and the farmer leaders of more than 40 associations, who commenced a waiting protest demanding a crop loan waiver despite police denying permission, failed, the protesting ryots continued their protest as per the schedule here on Tuesday.

Stressing the TVK government to waive crop loans as per the poll promises, as many as 40 farmers' associations announced an indefinite waiting protest in Tiruchy.

While the Tiruchy Collector granted permission, the Tiruchy police refused it, citing law and order issues, and the police even prevented erect makeshift shelters for the protest scheduled at Samayapuram in Tiruchy and stopped the volunteers from even arranging drinking water.

Many farmers were kept under house arrest and prevented from entering the border of Tiruchy district. Despite all these restrictions, the members from all 40 associations converged at the identified location at Samayapuram on Tuesday and commenced their protest even under the scorching sun.

While the farmers continued to protest and demanded the total waiver of crop loan without any conditions, the officials called the leaders of the association for a talk at Tiruchy Collectorate.

Subsequently, the farmer leaders Easan Murugasamy, founder of Tamilaga Vivasayigal Paathugappu Sangam, P Ayyakannu, State President of Desiya Thennidiya Nadhigal Inaippu Sangam, KV Elankeeran, president of Federation of Cauvery Delta Farmers Associations, Pakkiyanathan, president, Tamil Nadu Vaigai Farmers Association and other leaders went to take part in the talks.

The ministers R Vinoth (Agriculture), V Gandhiraj (Cooperation) and S Ramesh (HR&CE) convened a talk with the farmer leaders.

The meeting, which commenced at around 2.30 pm, lasted till 4.30 pm, and the farmer leaders continued to stress the crop loan waiver as per the poll promise and to immediately release a GO in this regard.

But the ministers tried to convince the farmer leaders and stated that the decision would be taken after the arrival of the Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay, from London, and asked them to withdraw the protest.

The farmer leaders told the ministers that they would consult with the farmers at the protest venue and make the announcement. Subsequently, the farmer leaders went to the protest spot and consulted with the farmers, but they refused to withdraw the protest and decided to continue the protest until the demand was fulfilled and continued to stay at the spot.