Farmers mull separate contempt plea, call for rail roko on April 3

Speaking to reporters after a consultative meeting, Mannargudi S Ranganathan, general secretary of Cauvery Delta Farmers Welfare Association, said that the Union government with its appeal of buying time with the Supreme Court for the constitution of the CMB clearly indicated that it has been supporting Karnataka in the Cauvery dispute, instead of being neutral. 

The Union government said in its petition the three months time sought was for the conduct of the elections in the state. 

Besides the contempt petition by the state, the opposition parties and the farmers associations should also file a separate contempt petition in the court, he said. He called upon all Tamils to be united in the struggle for Cauvery. 

“The three months sought by the Centre would curtail Cauvery water to the state in the upcoming Kuruvai season, which commences in June,” said farmer leader P Ayyakannu. 

Meanwhile, PR Pandian, the coordinator of Tamil Nadu All Farmers’ Association Federation said that the people of Tamil Nadu should stand united and stage a protest similar to jallikattu issue. He appealed that the Supreme Court itself should constitute the CMB. 

Besides the rail roko on April 3, the meeting also resolved to picket Central government offices and airports. 

Meanwhile, Tamil Maanila Congress chief and former union minister GK Vasan called for a mass signature campaign in the delta districts on April 4 and a hunger strike on April 6 on the issue. 

However, on Saturday around 100 farmers in Nagapattinam, including women and children, converged on their fields and protested against 

the Centre. Police prevented them from consuming pesticides during the protest. 

Police also arrested 65 Naam Tamizhar Katchi cadres for attempting to stage a rail roko in Nagore.  

Meanwhile, social activist ‘Traffic’ KR Ramaswamy created flutter at Ammamandapam Road in Srirangam by staging a one-day hunger strike. He also demanded the resignation of the Chief Minister and the Ministers for their inability to succeed informing the CMB.