Accept our demands or face wrath, farmers warn parties

The farmers belonged to the Desiya Thennindiya Nathigal Inaippu Vivasayigal Sangam. They conducted a state-level executive committee meeting presided over by the state president Ayyakannu. The farmers had decided to campaign for the political parties which would promise to fulfill their demands during the Lok Sabha elections. “If any party refuses our demand, we would campaign against that particular party where ever they contest,” Ayyakannu told the participatingfarmers.

The meeting listed out their demands, including fair price for the agriculture produces, loan waiver, nationalising the rivers, pension for the farmers who completes 60 years.

The meeting decided to participate in large number in the rally called by the Coordination Committee of All India Confederation of Farmers Association which has been scheduled on February 15 at Lucknow in which at least four lakh farmers are expected to participate.

Similarly, the Tamil Nadu farmers would participate in the rally at Uttar Pradesh on March 2 and on March 24 at New Delhi. “Farmers from all the 29 states and seven union territories would participate in the rally which would be a call for the political parties to fulfill the demands of the farmers pending for years,” Ayyakannu said.

Asking the government not to separate them as small and large farmers but to treat all the farmers as equal, Ayyakannu said that the farmers would campaign against the political parties that refuse to accept the demands. “We will teach the political parties a fitting lesson in the Lok Sabha elections,” Ayyakannu added.

General Secretary of the association Mannargudi MC Palanivel, state vice presidents JP Krishnan, R Chandrasekar, N Kittappa Reddy, V Murugesan and others participated in the meeting.