TN: Farmers Begin Sit-In Protests Against Farm Laws, Thousands Detained

Thousands of farmers are being detained in Tamil Nadu today (December 14) while trying to hold a sit in protest in all district collector offices. As part of the decision to intensify the struggle against the farm laws, they took out a march demanding the withdrawal of laws. 

The All India Kisan Sangharsh Coordination Committee (AIKSCC) has resolved to continue the sit in protests from places where they are being detained. The police used brute force to detain the protest in most parts of the state.

In solidarity, the Communist Party of India (Marxist) cadres held demonstrations in front of the Reliance shops and called for the boycott of the products. Other political parties including the Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK) and Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (MDMK) joined the protests. 

FARMERS DETAINED ACROSS STATE

The farmers took out huge rallies to the district collector offices to begin the sit in protest against the farm bills, to which the police denied permission. The district collector offices across the state were flooded with farmers and farmers leaders, with trade unions joining the sit in protest.

The police have detained the protesting farmers in all the districts while they have resolved to continue their protests, in spite of the regressive actions of the state government. The farmers and the AIKSCC leaders were detained even before they took out the rallies in many districts including Thanjavur and Dindigul. 

D Raveendran, vice president of the All India Kisan Sabha (AIKS) Tamil Nadu unit said, “The state government after supporting the three anti farmer bills in the parliament, is now using brute force to suppress the protests of the farmers. The police had denied permission for the peaceful protest of the farmers across the state. In Thanjavur, the police arrested the farmers in five different parts of the district while they tried to arrive at the protest venue. This is totally undemocratic from the part of the state government.”

After the police stopped the protestors, they held road rokos and were detained. In the delta districts, the farmers gathered in large numbers, condemning the union government for pushing through the anti farmer, pro corporate bills in the parliament.

The farmers have shifted the protest to the venues, where they are lodged. In the event of being released in the evening, the AIKSCC has decided to arrive at the collector offices to continue the protest.

“The farmers have decided to intensify the protest across the state, against the policies of both the union and state governments.The only way ahead for the union government is withdrawing the three farm laws and the amendments in the Electricity Act”, Raveendran added. 

INJURED DENIED PERMISSION TO VISIT HOSPITAL

In Dindigul district, the police cordoned the collector office to prevent  the farmers from entering the premises. Several kisan leaders and farmers were injured in the police action. 

Former MLA and state committee member of the CPI(M) who led the protest said, “A huge police force was deployed to stop a peaceful protest of the farmers. The police manhandled the protestors and several people were injured. The police have refused to take them to the hospital, but have asked the doctors to treat them in the halls where we are detained”.

The female protestors were pushed around and manhandled by the male police officials, creating mayhem in the protest site. The protestors alleged the presence of non-police men among the police force which was deployed.

“We doubt the presence of non-police persons in the protest site. Many of them did not have their name badges and numbers in the uniforms. This is atrocious by the state government which needs to respect the anger of farmers”, Balabharathi added. 

CPI(M) CONTINUES SOLIDARITY PROTEST

The CPI(M) continued the solidarity protest by calling for a boycott of reliance products and held demonstrations in front of the reliance showrooms. The MDMK and VCK members also joined with wide participation from Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI).

K Balakrishanan, state secretary of CPI(M) said, “The union government is framing several new policies to favour the corporates, compromising on the interests of the farmers, workers and the common people. The CPI(M) called for the boycott of such corporate houses including the reliance and adani, in solidarity with the call of the AIKSCC. Such protests will only intensify if the union government continues the adamant attitude”.

The protest was held across the state, in which the sim cards of reliance jio network was burnt. In Salem, the DYFi cadres entered the reliance mall as part of the protest programme. 

The Secular Progresive Alliance (SPA) led by the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) has announced a one day hunger strike on December 18, in solidarity with the protesting farmers.