Tamil Nadu: MK Stalin detained; Opposition calls for state-wide shutdown

Chennai (Tamil Nadu): Opposition parties call for statewide shutdown in support of drought-hit farmers

Tamil Nadu: Tensions have erupted in Tamil Nadu, in the wake of ongoing farmers’ protest. Senior DMK leader Stalin and several other leaders were arrested on Tuesday, escalating the whole matter to a new level and disrupting the normal life in the state.   Several DMK workers, along with Stalin, were detained by the police while they were protesting in Tiruvarur. Protests were being carried out in various parts of the state. Though offices of the central and state governments, public and private sector undertakings remained open; various shops, hotels downed their shutters across the state. Police were deployed in large numbers to prevent any untoward incidents in major places across the state. Trade bodies representing the movie industry, farmers, transport operators, traders association and others also extended their support to the shutdown. Petrol bunks were open with operators wearing black badges showing their support to the strike. According to reports reaching here, the majority of the hosiery units in Tirupur were shutdown. In Tiruvarur farmers were protesting on the railway tracks. According to reports reaching here, shops in Puducherry were shutdown. Tamil Nadu farmers demand immediate action: Demanding immediate action on the part of state and central governments in resolving the issues of Tamil Nadu's farmers, opposition parties last week decided to observe the shutdown strike on April 25. A meeting of opposition parties chaired by Stalin at the party's headquarters decided to call for a state-wide shutdown on Tuesday among the several resolutions adopted there. Opposition stands with plight of farmers: The opposition parties also urged the Tamil Nadu government to waive off all farm loans and convene a special session of the assembly to discuss the farmers' issues. The meeting also passed resolutions urging the Centre to constitute the Cauvery Management Board, the Cauvery Regulatory Authority, declare the Cauvery delta region as Special Agriculture Zone, scrapping of the hydro-carbon project and others. The shutdown strike was called by DMK, Congress, CPI-M, CPI, VCK and IUML. Trade unions affiliated to these parties also lent their support.