Why Do You Want To Contest From Varanasi?: SC Raps TN Farmer Ayyakannu For Nomination Extension Plea

The Supreme Court on Wednesday dismissed a petition by Tamil Nadu farmer Ayyakannu seeking the extension of time for filing nomination in the Varanasi Lok Sabha constituency.

Justice Vikram slammed the petitioner and called his plea as "total publicity litigation".

The court questioned: You have been working for 30 years in Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka, why do you want to contest from Varanasi that too on the last day? .....your purpose of filing the petition has been served, it came into papers, again it will come to paper today

"Total publicity litigation, dismissed," Justice Nath said.

However, P Ayyakannu counsel defended saying, "He is 79 years old, fighting for a cause."

Justice Nath further questioned: "Why should the people of Varanasi vote for you? Next case, unless we proceed, everything I say will be immediately reported..."

Ponnusamy Ayyakannu is an activist, lawyer and farmer and the chief of the Desiya Thenidhiya Nathigal Inaippu Vivasayigal Sangam. He led the 2017 Tamil Nadu farmers' protest against the central government at New Delhi, demanding the agricultural loan in cooperative banks to be abandoned.

The Desiya Thennidia Nadigal Innaippu Vivasayigal Sangam had announced its intention to field 111 farmer candidates as Independents against Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the Varanasi Lok Sabha constituency. This move is a protest against what they perceive as his failure to deliver on election promises.

However, the Thanjavur railway junction witnessed a drama days ago after a group of farmers, led by P Ayyakannu, protested against the railways. They claimed that they were being prevented from traveling to Varanasi to file their nomination papers to contest against Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the Lok Sabha election.

The protest resulted in a delay of over an hour and a half for the Varanasi-bound Kashi Tamil Express (16367).