A farmer from Ariyalur district, Thanga. Shanmuga Sundaram, caused a flutter here on Monday after he whiplashed himself in front of the Collector’s Office, urging Prime Minister Narendra Modi to immediately meet the agitating farmers in New Delhi.
The farmer, who is the All India president of the farmers’ wing of the Makkal Sevai Iyakkam, said that the Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami should take up the cause of the agitating farmers with the Prime Minister. He inflicted several whiplashes on himself in support of his demands before police rushed in and stopped him.
Later, he submitted a petition to the District Collector K.S. Palaniswamy in support of his demand. Addressing the media, he said that the agricultural operations had come to a grinding halt in Ariyalur in general and in Tirumanur block in particular.
“The Tirumanur belt is noted for jaggery manufacturing units; but none of the jaggery unit is functioning now as sugarcane cultivation has been affected. The ground water level has gone down badly due to the drought,” he said.
Mr. Shanmuga Sundaram said that the residents of dozen villages in and around Tirumanur, including Melavarappankurichi, Keezhavarappankurichi, Kuruvadi, Vandarayankattalai, Sengalvarayankattalai and Mathur would hoist black flags on Tuesday in support of their demands.
Meanwhile, a group of farmers staged a demonstration in Musiri, the home town of P. Ayyakannu, president, Desiya Thennindia Nadigal Inaippu Vivasayigal Sangam.
