Protest against farm Bills: Uproar in delta districts

Farmer organisations and various political outfits across the delta districts joined hands in the nation-wide bandh against the farm Bills passed in the parliament recently. People registered their protests by staging road blockade, rallying, burning copies of the farm Bills, etc. Farmers were arrested at some places and later released in the evening. 

In Thanjavur, protests were held in 21 places and more than 850 of them were arrested. They stated that the Bills  — the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Bill, the Farmers’ Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Bill  and the Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Bill — will enable undue profiteering by the corporate business houses. Farmers squatted in New Bus stand and police dragged them before arresting them. N V Kannan, district coordinator of AIKSCC (All India Kisan Struggle Coordination Committee) presided over.

Uranipuram farmers demonstrate by begging 
In Pappanadu, farmers took out a rally with more than 50 tractors and staged blockade at Thanjavur-Pattukkottai road. In Uranipuram, two farmers pulled the plough instead of bulls and some of them demonstrated by holding bowls in their hands begging without shirts. The protest was organised by Tiruvonam Vattara Vivasayigal Nala Sangam. Similar protests were held in places Kumbakonam, Devanancheri, Tiruvidaimarudur, Naachiaarkoil, Tiruppanandal, Papanasam, Ammapettai, Kovilur, Mariammankoil, Melattur, Kandiyur, Tirukkattupalli, Sengippatti, Vallam, Orathanadu, Pattukkottai, Madukkur, Peravurani. In total as many as 850 farmers were arrested in 21 places.
Farmers who gathered near the old bus stand in Tiruvarur district burnt copies of the farm Bills. Protests at about 13 places saw participation of more than thousand people. 

Effigies of PM, CM burnt in Perambalur & Ariyalur dists
Demanding repeal of the three Bills, farmer associations in Perambalur and Ariyalur protested. 129 people were arrested. They also burnt effigies of PM Narendra Modi and CM Edappadi K Palanisami and tore copies of the law. Protest in Ariyalur was led by farmers association District V-P Arumugam and the one in Jayankondam by District secretary Elavarasan. Jayankondam police arrested 30 protestors. 

Tiruchy farmers wear shackles & protest
In Tiruchy, farmers and cadres from various outfits led by CPI and CPM organised protests across ten places. More than 50 people from Jeeyapuram were arrested for blocking the Tiruchy-Karur Highway. CPI members said that the bills sought to put farmers at the mercy of corporates and it was crucial that farmers and public agitate until it is repealed. “It deprived farmer’s say in price over the crop and MSP,” they claimed. Makkal Adhikaram and DMK too joined. In a protest led by leader P Ayyakannu, farmers wore shackles demonstrating that they were being bonded by corporate companies. Karur district’s  Aravakurichi, Thogamalai, Krishnarayapuram, Kulithalai, Chinnadharpuram, too saw protests. 

47 arrested in Sirkazhi, 23 in Mayiladuthurai
Traffic was disrupted on main roads in Nagapattinam district as hundreds of CPI members blocked road in protest against the Bills. The draft copies were burnt near Sirkazhi Bus Stand in Sirkazhi and near Kittappa Market in Mayiladuthurai. Around 47 and 23 people were arrested in teh respective places. CPI farmers wing Tamil Nadu Vivasaayigal Sangam led the protest.