Cauvery protests rage across Tamil Nadu; Ruling AIADMK holds one-day hunger strike

TIRUCHY/ THANJAVUR/ NAGAPATTINAM/ ARIYALUR/ PERAMABALUR: As the ruling AIADMK and opposition parties took to the streets in protest against the delay in the formation of the Cauvery Management Board, demonstrations and agitations raged across the region on Tuesday.

Rajya Sabha member and AIADMK deputy coordinator R Vaithilingam inaugurated the party's one-day fast at 8 am in front of the head post office in Thanjavur.

Agriculture Minister R Doraikkannu, party spokesperson Vaigaiselvan and MLAs C V Sekar (Pattukkottai), M Govindarasu (Peravurani) also participated in the fast.

RK Nagar MLA TTV Dhinakaran, farmers leaders P Ayyakkannu and PR Pandian along with 1, 650 cadres were arrested for picketing Tiruchy International Airport and released later.

Addressing the gathering, Dhinakaran said, “We are protesting in a democratic way for the Cauvery Management Board. This is not for our political mileage but to save the livelihood of the farmers in the delta region. We will support all the protests calls made by farmers. We will not accept methane and hydrocarbon extraction projects, which affect agriculture and farmers.”

Ayyakannu said, “Farmers are not slaves in this country. We are the primary citizens who fulfil the food requirements of this country. So the Centre should form the board to save farmers from the water crisis.”

As thousands of supporters gathered near the airport, some tried to tear an AIADMK banner erected near the airport.

In Tiruvarur, AIADMK cadre staged a fast in front of the railway junction. Food Minister R Kamaraj, Tamil Nadu Text book Society chairperson B Valarmathi, former minister R Jayapal, Cauvery Delta Farmers' Welfare Association general secretary Mannargudi S Ranganathan, All Farmers' Associations of Tamil Nadu coordinator P R Pandian were among those present.

Members of opposition DMK, Congress, VCK, CPI, CPM and MDMK staged a demonstration in front of the LIC divisional office on Gandhi Road in Thanjavur, which led to a scuffle between the protesters and police. DMK cadres then threw stones at the board of the LIC building. Former Union minister SS Palanimanickam, MLAs M Ramachandran, D Chandrasekaran (all DMK), R Jayakumar (DK), PG Rajendran (Congress), G Neelamegam (CPM), S Chandrakumar (CPI), G Udhayakumar (MDMK), Chocka Ravi (VCK) led the protest.

A group of farmers under the banner of Tamilaga Cauvery Vivasayigal Sangam were stopped by police on their way to blocking trains and the protesters led by T Punniyamurthy, State president of the association, were arrested.

Advocates owing allegiance to the Joint Action Committee of the Tamil Nadu, Puducherry Bar Associations boycotted courts and took out a procession to the main branch of SBI.

All the shops in the Kamaraj vegetable market in Thanjavur and in the Kumbakonam wholesale vegetable market in Darasuram remained closed. Many other shops also downed their shutters in solidarity.

Textiles Minister O S Manian, who led the AIADMK's one-day fast at Avurithidal in Nagapattinam, said the Centre that imposed the GST under the "one nation, one tax" slogan

had failed to understand the difference between Tamil Nadu and Karnataka.

At a protest organised by the opposition DMK, CPM, Congress and MDMK, CPM State chief K Balakrishnan alleged that "the party which can put heavy pressure to form the CMB is just staging a drama called fasting".

Responding to Balakrishnan, Manian said, "Those who criticise the AIADMK's silent fast are criticising the non-violent way of protest shown by Mahatma Gandhi."

As the Tamilaga Cauvery Vivasayigal Sangam staged rail rokos in Nagapattinam and Sirkazhi along with the MJK, police briefly arrested 44 farmers and MJK cadres. While traders in Kollidam, Sembanarkoil, Tharangambadi and Sirkazhi expressed solidarity by downing shutters, a human chain was formed in Mayiladuthurai over the same issue.

And in Perambalur, DMK cadres led an all-opposition protest near Kamarajar Arch in which members of the MDMK, VCK, CPM, CPI, DK and farmer associations took part.

Speaking to Express, DMK district secretary Kunnam C Rajendran said, "Perambalur may not gain much from the constitution of a Cauvery Management Board, but we eat the rice cultivated as paddy in districts such as Tiruchy and Ariyalur.”

The protesters raised slogans calling for the resignation of the State government for allegedly not pressuring the Union government enough. The protesters were briefly arrested and kept in a community hall.

In Ariyalur district, the protests were led by DMK district secretary SS Sivasankar in Jayankondam. At least 130 protesters were briefly arrested for unlawful assembly.