Farmers hold one-day hunger strike against land acquisition

Coimbatore: More than 1,500 farmers on Monday held a one-day hunger on Othimalai Road in Annur to condemn the state government’s move to acquire 3,700 acres from six villages in Annur and Mettupalayam taluks to set up an industrial park. Many shops in Annur remained shut in support of protesting farmers.
Farmers from Akkaraisengapalli, Kuppanur, Pogalur, and Vadakkalur in Annur taluk and Iluppanatham and Bellepalayam in Mettupalayam taluk participated in the hunger strike. Protesters included women as well.
AIADMK MLAs SP Velumani, Dhanabal, PRG Arunkumar, Amul Kandasamy and AK Selvaraj visited Annur and extended their support to the farmers. Addressing the farmers, Velumani said that AIADMK always stands with them.
“We are not against industrial development. At the same time, we are against acquiring agricultural lands in and around Annur for the industrial park. If the DMK government acquires agricultural land, it will be returned to respective farmers after AIADMK comes to power. We will raise the issue through our party leader Edappadi K Palaniswami in the assembly,” Velumani said.
The farmers raised slogans demanding the state government to cancel the government order for land acquisition.
“Our only demand to the state government is to cancel its order. We know only farming. This is our livelihood. We are ready to take our life to save our land,” state president of Tamizhaga Vivasayigal Sangam T Venugopal said.
One of the protesting farmers attempted self-immolation but police intervened and saved him. He was taken to the Annur government hospital.
Meanwhile, farmers’ wing state president óf BJP G K Nagaraj and other party leaders also visited Annur and extended their support to the farmers.