Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK) leader and former MP Anbumani Ramadoss launched a scathing attack against the ruling Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) over the Neyveli Lignite Corporation (NLC) acquiring farmlands. Anbumani was detained by the police on Friday, July 28, after his party cadre clashed with the police outside the NLC. Addressing the media on Saturday, July 29, he said that threatening farmers with police force to acquire their land was an act of cowardice and the DMK would have to pay the price.
Alleging that it was the police who first attacked the protestors, Anbumani said, “We staged the protest for the rights of people and their land. It was the police who attacked our cadre and created a tense situation. But they blamed us and arrested 26 of our cadres. We strongly condemn this.”
Anbumani said the action by NLC is not just anti-farmer but also against Tamil society and Tamil Nadu. “You are robbing farmers of their livelihood. Don’t you have any humanity? You are destroying crops, will anyone do that? Only those with no humanity will. All those in support of the heartless administrators [at NLC] including the DMK, ministers and other authorities, what are you going to achieve by this stance?” he asked.
Anbumani said that the compensation awarded to farmers does not make up for the crops that were destroyed. “The Cuddalore District Collector said that compensation was given for the crops that were destroyed. Can we eat the compensation? What will we eat if all the farmlands are acquired and crops are destroyed?” he said.
Emphasising that the PMK will not back down from the protests, Anbumani said, “We are not going to let this go. Until you stop this, we will keep protesting. What you saw yesterday was just a sample. I am placing this as a humble request to the Chief Minister. We are ready to fight for the rights of people and the land.”
Anbumani also alleged that NLC is way more harmful than Vedanta’s Sterlite Copper plant in Thoothukudi and urged youngsters and farmers to go to Neyveli and protest against NLC. He further stated that the price of rice will go up to Rs 500 per kg if the DMK continues to use farmlands for development projects as there will be no land to do farming.