Tamil Nadu Farmers Association Plans 'Rail Roko' Protest Over Cauvery Water Issue

The Tamil Nadu Farmers Association has scheduled a 'Rail Roko' protest for September 19, addressing the Cauvery water issue. During a meeting on Wednesday, the association's office bearers adopted a resolution regarding this demonstration. This protest is slated to take place across all the Delta districts of the state, aiming to exert pressure on the Central government to engage with Karnataka and secure the release of Cauvery water for Tamil Nadu.

The organization has alleged that the Central government displays a bias favoring Karnataka in the Cauvery water dispute, a stance they assert runs counter to the interests of the farming community in Tamil Nadu. P. R. Pandian, the General Secretary of the Tamil Nadu Farmers Association, has accused the Union Government of consistently supporting Karnataka in the Cauvery water issue while working against the interests of Tamil Nadu.

Pandian, the leader of the Farmers Association, also highlighted the efforts of former Karnataka Chief Minister and BJP leader Basavaraj Bommai in intensifying protests in Karnataka against the release of Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu. In a statement made on Thursday, Pandian revealed that Union government representatives had leveled allegations against Tamil Nadu concerning Kuruvai paddy cultivation during a meeting of the Cauvery Water Management Authority (CWMA).

He further asserted that there appeared to be a "larger political conspiracy" targeting Tamil Nadu on this matter, emphasizing that it was the responsibility of the Union Government to implement the directives issued by the Cauvery Water Management Authority.