TN farmers to hold indefinite hunger strike in New Delhi from Monday

Tamil Nadu farmers — who protested in New Delhi for over 100 days last year seeking waiver of agricultural loans — will be back in the national Capital on Monday to hold an indefinite fast demanding that the Centre immediately constitute the Cauvery Management Board (CMB) as per the Supreme Court order.

Hundreds of farmers from Tamil Nadu left for New Delhi on Saturday night to hold the indefinite hunger strike from Monday. PR Pandian, coordinator of Tamil Nadu All Farmers Organisation Coordination Committee, said that they want the Centre to set up the CMB with complete power as per the judgement of the Cauvery Water Dispute Tribunal and the verdict of the Supreme Court.

"We will continue the hunger strike until our demands are met. We will not accept any move by the Centre to replace the CMB with some other body without any powers to implement the SC order," Pandian said.

The livelihood of lakhs of farmers in the delta districts depends on the Cauvery water, he said, adding that if Karnataka releases the Cauvery water as per the monthly schedule, the agricultural activities could be carried out.

"The farmers in the delta district has been crop failure for the past three years due to poor monsoon and Karnataka's refusal to release the water. Only if the Centre sets up the CMB with all the power to implement the Apex court order, the state farmers will get water for the agriculture," he said.