P.R. Pandian, president of the Coordination Committee of All Farmers Associations of Tamil Nadu, was stopped by the police on Sunday from visiting Valayamadevi, where fertile lands were destroyed by NLC India Ltd. (NLCIL) for its expansion projects.
Mr. Pandian, accompanied by members of the committee, was stopped near Sethiyathope. He said the police were clearly instructed to prevent him from going beyond the point. Even though he assured them that he was only going there to meet farmers, he was prevented from continuing his journey.
Speaking to reporters, Mr. Pandian charged the State government with wreaking vengeance on farmers with the help of the police and filing cases. While the ongoing protests against NLCIL had reached their final phase, the State government was strangulating democracy by filing cases against farmers. Policemen have been deployed in all the villages, he said.
