Mani Shankar Aiyar slams Modi govt for neglecting TN farmers’ plight

After Rahul Gandhi, Mani Shankar Aiyar joins TN farmers’ protest at Jantar Mantar

New Delhi, July 19: It is for the second time, within a couple of a few months, when farmers from drought-hit Tamil Nadu have come to the national capital to make the authorities listen to their plight.

After ending their protest at Jantar Mantar in Delhi in April, the farmers from the southern state came back to the national capital on Sunday, again to raise their demands, which include loan waiver, better prices for crops and inter-linking of rivers, to name a few.

In the first phase of Tamil Nadu farmers' protest in Delhi during March-April, not a single politician--except for Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi--from the national capital took the trouble to visit them and listen to their grouses, in spite of constant media coverage about it.

Finally, on Wednesday, the visit of senior Congress leader Mani Shankar Aiyar at Jantar Mantar to express his solidarity to the farmers' cause ended the long 'drought' of political apathy towards farmers' plight.

Although Aiyar's meeting with the farmers is more symbolic in nature, nonetheless the gesture gives boost to the poor and troubled men from the southern state.

"Congress leader Mani Shankar Aiyar joins Tamil Nadu farmers' protest at Jantar Mantar," reported ANI. Aiyar was photographed walking with the farmers during their protest rally at the national capital's favourite protest site.

"These poor people are wandering between Delhi and Chennai not getting any decent answer. So they have come here again," Aiyar was quoted as saying by ANI.

The first phase of the protest of Tamil Nadu farmers ended after the passage of more than 40 days on April 23. They agreed to end their agitation--which also saw a nude protest in front of the Prime Minister's Office--after Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami assured them to address all their concerns.

However, that did not happen and that is why they have to again come back to Delhi to make the authorities, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, listen to their plight and do something about it.

OneIndia News