Protesting farmers held in Thanjavur

CHENNAI

A group of 35 farmers was arrested when it staged a road roko protest for about an hour at the Irwin Bridge along Gandhiji Salai in Thanjavur on Thursday demanding the immediate formation of the Cauvery Management Board by the Centre.

The protesters raised slogans charging the Centre with conspiring against Tamil Nadu and accused the the State government of acquiescence.

Vehicular traffic was obstructed for about an hour along the route.

Coordinator of the Struggle Committee P. Maniarasan, who led the protest, questioned the rationale behind the delay on the part of the Centre in forming the CMB within the six-week deadline set by the Supreme Court.

The reluctance of the Union government to form the CMB was evident in the ambiguous stand taken by the Central Water Resources Secretary Upendra Prasad Singh at a meeting with top officials of Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Puducherry to discuss the Supreme Court order, he charged. While the Centre was trying to delay the process further by planning to submit a petition to the Supreme Court, the State government kept the people of Tamil Nadu in the dark about this development, Mr. Maniarasan said.

The MPs from Tamil Nadu must either support the no-confidence motion against the Centre if the CMB was not formed or submit their resignation and stand by the interests of Tamil people.

The Tamil Nadu Government must effectively respond by closing down Union government offices and establishments for a week in the State, Mr. Maniarasan demanded.

Representatives of members of Tamizhar Desiya Munnani, Tamizhaga Vivasayigal Sangam, Viduthalai Tamil Puligal, Samaveli Vivasayigal Iyakkam, and other organisations took part in the protest.