Opposition calls for strike in support of farmers

A resolution to this effect was adopted at the all-party meeting convened by the DMK at its headquarters Anna Arivalyalamon on Sunday morning. The parties have also announced a public meeting in the city on April 22 to muster support for the strike and popularise the resolutions adopted on Sunday. A total of 19 resolutions were adopted, including a demand to the state government to immediately convene a special State Assembly session to discuss the farmers’ issue. Significant among the resolutions were a proposal to lead an all-party delegation along with farmers to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi and urge him to end the farm crisis in Tamil Nadu. 

Opening with a resolution condoling the death of the farmers who committed suicide due to financial distress, the Opposition parties, apart from the usual demands like constitution of Cauvery Management Board, increasing the water level of Mullaiperiyar Dam to 152 feet, waiving crop loans of farmers and increase in the compensation announced for crop loss, also urged the Centre to treat the drought in the state as a national disaster and therefore declare Tamil Nadu as a national disaster affected state and release funds in tune with the same. The parties also urged the Centre and State to declare the Delta districts as a special agrarian zone. 

Unlike in the previous meeting DMK had convened in late 2016, the two Left parties and VCK apart from ally Congress and TMMK took part in Sunday’s meeting led by DMK Working President MK Stalin.