Farmers Movement Archive

Punjabi farmer campaigns for DMK in Tamil, takes electorate by surprise

Coimbatore: People gathered at Thirunal Nagar near Sundakkamuthur as part of the DMK election campaign on Sunday were pleasantly surprised when a Punjabi farmer spoke in fluent Tamil and sought votes for Karthikeya Sivasenathipathi, who is contesting from Thondamuthur assembly constituency.If you are wondering what’s the bond between the DMK candidate and the Punjabi farmer, Rajvindar Singh Golden, they made acquaintance in New Delhi during the farmers' protest against the new farm laws. And it was the Tamil language that connected them both. A resident of the city more than 20 years ago, Rajvindar said he had learned Tamil during his stay here. “When Sivasenathipathi and team visited New Delhi to support the farmers’ protest in December last, I was the only protesting farmer to speak Tamil and Tamil news channels interviewed me. Subsequently, I became a familiar face among the farmers here. Hence, I have come down here to support the DMK candidate.”Well, it doesn’t entirely seem to be his personal choice. His organization Azaad Kissan Sanghrash Committee had, in fact, asked him to campaign against the BJP, which brought in the “anti-farm” laws and its alliance partner AIADMK, which supported the same, in Tamil Nadu. “Our aim is to campaign against the BJP. In Tamil Nadu, the AIADMK government supported the BJP’s farm laws. So, I am campaigning against AIADMK also,” he said. Rajvindar requested the crowd gathered at Thirunal Nagar not to give any opportunities to the political parties that were working against the welfare of farmers. “The Union government has sold airports to the corporates and they will sell even Marina beach in Chennai. The DMK is supporting farmers and people should vote for the rising sun symbol.”Rajvindar said it was after the demise of his father that his entire family moved back to Amritsar in Punjab from the city. He is into agriculture, business and real estate in his hometown.

The Times of India

2021-03-22

Coimbatore