Farmers Movement Archive

Tamil Nadu: Farmers pay tribute to protesters who died

THANJAVUR/MADURAI: Unmindful of the Prime Minister’s assurance to revoke the three contentious farm laws, farmers held protests across the delta as well as southern districts seeking repeal of the laws in the upcoming winter session of Parliament. They also sought withdrawal of the proposed electricity (amendment) bill, saying it would lead to privatisation of the power sector. The protests were held to mark one year of the farmer protests against the three farm acts and seeking legal guarantee for minimum support price (MSP). Farmers from Thanjavur paid tributes to their mates who lost their lives in Delhi during the protests in the last one year. Farmers affiliated to Pazhavaru Ayakattar Association led by president Eraharam Swaminathan and Swamimalai S Vimalnathan, secretary of Cauvery Farmers Protection Association, gathered on an agricultural field in Thanjavur and lit candles recalling the sacrifice of the deceased. Vimalnathan appealed to the Union government to provide jobs to family members of the deceased farmers and a solatium of Rs 50 lakh to each family. Protests were also held in Madurai, Sivaganga, Dindigul and Theni. As part of the demonstration in Thanjavur, the farmers tied black flags on motor pump in agriculture fields opposing the draft Electricity Amendment Bill calling it anti-people. They claimed that the bill would pave the way for privatization of power production and distribution. Bills will have to be paid in advance to get services in such a situation, they added. A group of farmers led by S Vimalnathan will travel to Delhi to thank the farmers’ leaders in Delhi for making the Centre withdraw the three agricultural laws.

The Times of India

2021-11-27

Trichy