Tamil Nadu farmers have called off the protest on Saturday (June 10) afternoon after the state government assured them that their demands will be met within two months. However, the farmers have said that they will resume their agitation if their demands of being provided with loan waivers and drought relief packages are not met.
These farmers of Tamil Nadu, who had made headlines in April owing to their innovative forms of protest at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi, had relaunched their agitation in Chennai on Friday. The farmers had called for an indefinite strike and said they will tie up their hands and legs with iron chains on Saturday to protest the state government's failure to fulfil its promises.
At least 200 farmers had gathered at Chepauk and started an indefinite strike seeking loan waiver, drought relief package and pension for aged farmers. They had begun the protest by paying homage to the the six farmers who were killed in police firing in Madhya Pradesh earlier this week.
"We called off our protest in New Delhi after Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami met with us and assured to fulfil our demands," the National South Indian River Linking Agriculturist Association president P Ayyakannu told DNA on Friday.
"But none of the demands have been fulfilled. We will protest till the government fulfils our demands," Ayyakannu, the farmer who had spearheaded the Jantar Mantar agitation had added.
He had even criticised the CM for not sticking to his words. "The CM promised us that they will not appeal against the High Court order. But now they have moved the Supreme Court," he said, adding that they will expand their agitation all over India.
He criticised the firing that took place in Madhya Pradesh. "We condemn the bullets firing at farmers who are the backbone of our nation. Soon there will be a nationwide protest and for this, we have the special meeting on June 16 at Delhi," Ayyakannu said.
Meanwhile, the Opposition in Tamil Nadu had also criticised the state government. "The government has to walk the talk. They cannot give an assurance and not do anything," said DMK leader A Saravanan. "The government was left embarrassed nationally after the protest in Jantar Mantar, and to stop it they made a promise. But they are yet to fulfil it so the farmers' protest is completely justified."
