Pudukkai protests continue, traders down shutters

Sources said more than 20,000 shops remained closed in  the entire district. and interestingly all the traders volunteered the closure. The villagers who were protesting were careful not to give it any political colour. So, they have been appealing to the political leaders to address people at a different venue where they are given due welcome. 

Apparently, this was decided in the meeting of village heads who passed a series of resolutions. However, political leaders have continued to express their solidarity. Meanwhile, apart from politicians, activists too have been visiting the area. 

On Wednesday,  Arputham Ammal, mother of Perarivalan, SP Uadayakumar, convenor of the People’s Movement Against Nuclear Energy (PMANE), activist Traffic Ramaswamy and actor Mansoor Ali Khan participated in the protest.

“This is the holy land of farmers and it is the duty of everyone to fight till the project is withdrawn and I too will join you till we win,” said Arputham Ammal. Meanwhile, Udayakumar said the project will affect the farmers and not the corporate companies that the Centre has been supporting. 

“If the project is implemented, the entire Delta, the rice bowl of Tamil Nadu will turn into a desert and will be destroyed completely,” Udayakumar stressed. 

In the meantime, hundreds of cars thronged Neduvasal from Pudukkottai. It almost looked like a rally. Seenu Chellappa, president of District Chamber of Commerce arrived at Neduvasal with a huge team in ten cars. They were functionaries of the association and owners of various commercial establishments who wanted to extend their support to the protesters. 

Likewise, Sridhar Vandaiyar, president of Moovendhar Munnetra Kazhagam, Sarubala R Thondaiman, former Mayor of Tiruchy Corporation, Senathipathi of Pollachi, Ravichandran, president of Pudukkottai bar association, arrived at the spot along with their associates in ten cars. 

Youth from Alangudi and Keeramangalam, organised a two-wheeler rally to Neduvasal to express their solidarity. Villagers extended their warmth by preparing food for all the protestors and served them at the venue.

A delegation of two DMK MPs on Wednesday met Union Petroleum Minister Dharmendra Pradhan and demanded the Centre to stop the proposed hydrocarbon extraction and exploration project in Pudukkottai. Rajya Sabha MPs Kanimozhi and Tiruchy Siva met the union minister and apprised him of the ongoing protests in the state over the hydrocarbon extraction project which has raised fears of water scarcity and negative effect on agriculture. They also submitted a letter on behalf of DMK working president and Opposition Leader M K Stalin on the issue. s“We placed the demand of people of entire state before the union minister and asked him to give up on the project,” Siva said.

Meanwhile, the South Indian Artistes’ Association ( Nadigar Sangam ) extended its support to the protesters at Neduvasal and wanted the project to be scrapped. “Though it augurs well for the nation and its growth, the project is not acceptable because of the fact that it will destroy farmlands,” a statement from SIAA said. Even if implemented, such projects should be done so after getting the local people’s approval by explaining it to them, it said. Extending its support to the protesters, SIAA urged the Centre to heed the demands of the people.