Jaya threatens agitation

Chennai, Nov 24 (UNI) AIADMK General Secretary J Jayalalithaa today threatened to launch an agitation if the state government did not come forward to increase the procurement price of sugarcane.

In a statement here, she alleged that Chief Minister M Karunanidhi had joined hands with owners of sugar mills and reduced the procurement price of sugarcane from Rs 1,014 per tonne to Rs 802.

The Chief Minister had implemented the decision through office-bearers of co-operative factories without even releasing it in the government gazette, she charged and added that the move would heavily affect the lives of farmers.

Mr Karunanidhi who garnered the votes of farmers and came to power by promising that he would raise the price of sugarcane to Rs 1,000 per tonne, was not able to do so now, she claimed.

Ms Jayalalithaa charged him with helping sugar mill owners to get a stay order from both Madras High Court as well as the Supreme Court not to announce the price fixed by the state for sugarcane.

Mr Karunanidhi had not taken any action to resolve the case and instead made farmers run pillar to post by not conducting a tripartite meeting, she charged.

Stating this as a reason for the deprivation of sugarcane production in the state, the AIADMK supremo said after taking charge as the Chief Minister, she got a verdict from the Apex Court in favour of announcing the state-advised price by making Chief Attorney of Tamil Nadu appear in the case.

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