At a State-level meeting of the All Tamil Nadu Farmers’ Association here on Saturday, farmers adopted 28 resolutions, including setting up of the Cauvery Management Board, waiving off farm loans for drought-affected farmers, settlement of crop insurance dues, stopping import of coal at Karaikal MARG port and stopping inclusion of agriculture in the Union list, among others.
P.R. Pandian, leader of the association, said that both the State and the Centre had turned a deaf ear to farmers’ protests on these matters and the resolutions would be used to petition political leaders.
Other issues
Making a presentation on waterbodies in the State, water management expert S. Janakarajan said farmers should not only talk about inter-State dispute for distribution of Cauvery waters, but also focus on issues such as pollution of rivers and rainwater harvesting, because a lot of rainwater run-off was draining into the sea, which could be tapped for agricultural requirements.
Addressing farmers, who had come from all over the State, actor Kamal Haasan urged them to awaken and hold politicians accountable.
Having announced his decision to enter the mainstream politics in September, he said, “I haven’t come here to gain political mileage from you, but to blame you for not doing enough. It is not for you to go looking for a leader, but it is in your hands to appoint one,” he said, reminding farmers of their power.
‘Questioners silenced’
Mr. Haasan observed that anyone questioning the political powers was being silenced.
“Either they are arrested or abused, but now that the jails are overflowing, a new method is to simply label them as ‘anti-national’ or even kill them,” he rued.
Farming as industry
“During my time cinema was recognised as an industry, but farming too needs the same recognition. We can live without cinema but not without food,” Mr. Haasan said, expressing his gratitude to farmers for feeding everyone.
Given the cycle of flood and drought that has been affecting the State, the actor said rivers, lakes and waterbodies had to be urgently saved.
Mr. Haasan said that he was being targeted for his tweets, and some people were asking him to clean the overflowing drains in Chennai instead of tweeting about them.
“But those whose job it is have been avoiding their work and then they make it look as though it isn’t their responsibility,” Mr. Haasan said.
