Protesting farmers cheated, says DMK

Speaking to DTNEXT, DMK headquarters secretary Duraimurugan welcomed the decision and said, “We asked the farmers to call off the protest temporarily and participate in our general strike on April 25 even before the Chief Minister visited them. We had even adopted a resolution in this regard in the all-party meeting held on Saturday before making the appeal to the farmers. They had obliged even, but Tamil Nadu government pressurised them not to end the protest till the Chief Minister met them.” 

Duraimurugan added, “If Chief Minister Palanisamy really had the courage, he should have got the farmers an audience with the Prime Minister. Union Minister Pon Radharkrishnan could have done it, but they did not”. 

When asked about the Chief Minister’s assurance to end the farmers’ grievances even if the Centre fails to do if for them, Duraimurugan said that they would wholeheartedly welcome the decision. 

However, he further questioned, “How will he do it? Even cheques issued by his government to MLAs have bounced? How will such a government repay farmers loans availed from nationalised banks. Both AIADMK and BJP have jointly cheated the farmers,” added the DMK headquarters secretary. 

A few members of the Opposition like PMK and Vaiko’s MDMK have abstained from the DMK-led general strike. While Dr Ramadoss attributed political motives to the strike, a cautious Vaiko said they would neither support nor oppose the strike. 

At least a few shutters could be down on Tuesday, as the Vanigar Sangangalin Kootamaippu led by Vikrama Raja has extended support to the strike. Associations of films artists and producers of Kollywood too are backing the general strike. 

Truckers’ federations have extended support to the one-day strike call given by the DMK on April 25. The strike has been planned in solidarity with the state farmers. State Lorry Owners Federation-Tamil Nadu (SLOF-TN) president MR Kumarasamy said that more than 4 lakh trucks attached to the 85 associations affiliated to the federation will take part in the strike from 6 am to 6 pm. 

The Tamil Nadu Sand Lorry Owners Federation has also extended support to the strike. The Tami Nadu Poultry Farmers Association president AKP Chinnraj said that layer and broiler farmers in Namakkal and Palladam would also take part in the strike to extend support to farmers as they too are covered under the allied agricultural activities that is directly dependent on agriculture for several tonnes of poultry feed every day.