Puliyur A. Nagarajan, president of the farmers wing of the Tamil Maanila Congress (TMC), died at the Mahatma Gandhi Memorial Government Hospital in the city on Thursday. He was 64. He is survived by his wife and a daughter.
Nagarajan, who had tested positive for COVID-19 after being admitted to the GH on Wednesday, had co-morbid conditions including renal failure, according to hospital authorities.
Nagarajan was a prominent farmers leader in Tiruchi district and has been in the forefront in fighting for their rights and highlighting their grievances. He had also attended a recent interaction of farmers representatives with Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami in Tiruchi on June 26. In a representation submitted at the meeting, Nagarajan had pleaded for liberal sanction of fresh loans to farmers and waiver of all crop loan dues besides putting forth various other demands.
Significantly, he had also urged the authorities to supply face masks free of cost to agricultural labourers, through the village panchayats, while working in the fields. He also wanted the agricultural officers to instruct the labourers to maintain social distancing in the field. A progressive farmer, he had earlier floated the Tamil Nadu Horticulture Crop Producers Association before joining the TMC and becoming the president of its farmers wing.
Various farmers leaders including P. R. Pandian, president, Coordination Committee of All Farmers Associations, condoled the death of Nagarajan.
