CHENNAI: PMK and BJP have condemned the Tamil Nadu government for what they called its oppressive action against farmers who have been staging protests urging the government not to acquire farmland for the expansion of the Sipcot industrial estate at Cheyyar in Tiruvannamalai district.
The farmers demanded that the government sack public works minister E V Velu and expunge his anti-farmer remarks in the just concluded session of the legislative assembly.
In a statement, PMK founder leader S Ramadoss said police arrested more than 20 farmers including 18 women for staging a protest in front of the secretariat in Chennai.
The farmers wanted to meet chief minister M K Stalin and submit a petition to him.
Ramadoss said farmers from 11 villages, including Melma, have been staging protests for more than 200 days to protest the government’s decision to acquire 2,700 acres of farmlands for the expansion of the Cheyyar Sipcot project.
Meanwhile, 10 farmers launched a fast until death at Melma crossroad junction urging the government to drop the Sipcot expansion project. Police secured them and admitted eight of them to Tiruvannamalai Government Medical College and Hospital and the rest two to Vandavasi Government General Hospital. Now, another set of 10 farmers have launched an indefinite fast until death.
While condemning the government for its action against farmers, BJP president K Annamalai demanded the immediate release of the farmers, who were arrested.
In a post on X, Annamalai urged Stalin to come forward to hold talks with the protesting farmers and resolve the issues through peace talks.
The farmers demanded that the government sack public works minister E V Velu and expunge his anti-farmer remarks in the just concluded session of the legislative assembly.
In a statement, PMK founder leader S Ramadoss said police arrested more than 20 farmers including 18 women for staging a protest in front of the secretariat in Chennai.
The farmers wanted to meet chief minister M K Stalin and submit a petition to him.
Ramadoss said farmers from 11 villages, including Melma, have been staging protests for more than 200 days to protest the government’s decision to acquire 2,700 acres of farmlands for the expansion of the Cheyyar Sipcot project.
Meanwhile, 10 farmers launched a fast until death at Melma crossroad junction urging the government to drop the Sipcot expansion project. Police secured them and admitted eight of them to Tiruvannamalai Government Medical College and Hospital and the rest two to Vandavasi Government General Hospital. Now, another set of 10 farmers have launched an indefinite fast until death.
While condemning the government for its action against farmers, BJP president K Annamalai demanded the immediate release of the farmers, who were arrested.
In a post on X, Annamalai urged Stalin to come forward to hold talks with the protesting farmers and resolve the issues through peace talks.