Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam partymen staged demonstrations in Erode and Gobichettipalayam expressing solidarity with farmers and land owners opposed to the Central Government’s Land Acquisition policy.
In Erode city, former Minister and newly nominated District South Organiser S. Muthusamy led a protest by hundreds of partymen. Mr. Muthusamy and other speakers flayed the AIADMK Government for extending its support to the Central Government’s Land Acquisition policy. The protestors also assailed the State Government’s “soft handling” of the recent suicide of an Agriculture Department official, reportedly due to political pressure. Farmers have been annoyed by the tweaked policy that makes it possible for the government to acquire land forcibly, even without consent of the owners, Mr. Muthusamy said.
On the presence of Coco Cola in the Perundurai SIPCOT Industrial Estate, Mr. Muthusamy said the DMK would stand solidly behind farmers in the surrounding villages spread over Perundurai and Chennimalai Panchayat Unions.
While industrial development was vital for generating employment, it must not be at the cost of farmers losing their livelihood in multitudes, he said.
A similar protest meeting was organised by the party’s North district unit at Gobichettipalayam. Nallasivam, newly nominated organiser and other senior leaders spoke.
Meanwhile, the founder-president of Kongu Naadalum Katchi Gee Somu said the State Government’s acceptance of the Centre’s land acquisition policy was a ‘selfish act’. Demonstrations will be carried out in the ‘Kongu’ districts if the Central and State governments fail to withdraw the policy, Mr. Gee Somu said in a press release.
SALEM / NAMAKKAL: A large number of Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam cadre staged demonstration in different centres in Salem and Namakkal districts on Friday protesting against the Land Acquisition Bill.
They also demanded CBI enquiry into the role of former Minister Agri Krishnamoorthy in the death of senior official of Agricultural Engineering Department.
Insisting that the Land Acquisition Bill was ‘anti-farmer’, they raised slogans condemning the BJP led Central Government for going ahead with the Bill ignoring the just arguments against the legislation.
Hundreds of partymen participated in the agitation held in front of the Collectorate in Salem city, organised by the Salem Central district unit of the party. R. Rajendran, in-charge of the Central district unit, led the agitation, in which former Minister T.M. Selvaganapathi, former Mayors G. Soodamani and Rekha Priyadarshini and others participated.
Under the auspices of the East district unit of the party, the agitation was held in front of the taluk office in Vazhappadi town and it was led by ‘Veerapandi’ A. Raja, district in-charge.
S. R. Sivalingam, led the agitation held on behalf of the Salem West district unit, in front of the RDO office in Sankagiri town.
The Namakkal East and West district units of the party staged agitation jointly in front of the Collectorate. S. Gandhiselvan, former Union Minister and secretary of the East district, and K.S. Moorthy, secretary of the West district, led the agitation.
