Cauvery issue: Farmers to join protests at IPL match

Farmers would join the protests initiated by the Thamizhaga Vazhvurimai Katchi against the IPL match in the city on April 10, co-ordinator of the Federation of Tamil Nadu Farmers’ Associations PR Pandian said on Monday.

“Thousands of farmers would besiege the MA Chidambaram stadium at Chepauk along with the cadres of those parties which had announced the protest against the holding of IPL match at Chennai when the entire state is protesting for the setting up of Cauvery Management Board,” he told reporters here. 

He said the IPL matches would divert Tamil youth who had started joining the protests for Cauvery and said there could not be any celebrations when farmers in the state are fighting for their livelihood. Protests to besiege the cricket stadium was announced by Thamizhaga Vazhvurimai Katchi leader T Velmurugan and later MLAs Thamimun Ansari (Manithaneya Jananayaga Katchi) and Thaniyarasu (KonguIlaignar Peravai) had threatened to disrupt the match by entering the ground. 

However, Velmurugan who met the media on Monday said his party cadre who had bought tickets would hold protests inside the stadium to draw the attention of the whole world to Cauvery issue. He also asked the people to dot the skies around the stadium with black balloons to show their opposition to the match. He also said the protests of parties would be peaceful, but the BCCI must be held responsible if anyone of the angry Tamil youth other than the party members attacked any cricketer taking part in the match. 

Meanwhile, a team of leading Tamil film directors, including veteran Bharathiraja, along with the co-ordinator of Federation of Tamil Nadu Farmers’ Associations Pandian met Governor Banwarilal Purohit and submitted a memorandum to convey the ongoing protests in Tamil Nadu demanding Cauvery Management Board besides seeking the cancellation of the appointment of MK Surappa as Vice Chancellor of Anna University to the President. 

Pandian, who led a rally of farmers to Raj Bhavan, was allowed to meet the Governor along with the film directors. The petition requesting the President to form the Cauvery Management Board and recall Surappa was handed over to the Governor. The film directors who met the Governor include M Ameer, Vetrimaran, Gowthaman and V Sekar. 

The memorandum recalled the dispute between Tamil Nadu and Karnataka for many decades and complained that Karnataka had been refusing to share Cauvery water due to the delay in formation of the Cauvery Management Board. Since 2014, cultivation of paddy, coconut, banana and pulses at an area of about 25 lakh acres had been affected. 

"More than 400 farmers have committed suicide and shocking deaths have occurred. There has been a loss of revenue generation to the extent of Rs 10,000 crore annually. The food production series has been affected very much. There is a dangerous situation prevailing since 25 districts of Tamil Nadu including Chennai are relying on Cauvery for drinking water,” he said. 

The people of the state are in continuous protests demanding the CMB and the appointment of Surappa as Vice-Chancellor of Anna University would make the situation worse and violent. The memorandum requested the President to cancel the appointment of Surappa and appoint an eligible Vice Chancellor from Tamil Nadu.