Farmers continue protest against proposed BPCL pipeline across agricultural fields

Over 200 protesting farmers opposed to BPCL’s laying of a petroleum pipeline across farmlands wrapped up their second day of agitation at Sulur on Saturday. The farmers, who had converged from Coimbatore and Tiruppur districts, cautioned the district administration that they return on Monday to resume their struggle.

The farmers also expressed outrage over the arrest of 65 other farmers who had staged a roadblock after two rounds of failed talks with the district administration. “We stand firm in our demand for laying the pipeline along the Highway instead of digging up farmland,” Eesan Murugasamy, founder of Tamil Nadu Farmers’ Protection Movement, said.

The protest also drew significant political support from both the BJP and the AIADMK. G.K. Nagaraj, state president of the BJP farmers’ wing, and V.P. Kandasamy, AIADMK MLA, Sulur, extended their support to the farmers.

Condemning the arrest of farmers, P.R. Pandian, president of the Coordination Committee of All Farmers’ Association of Tamil Nadu, said the forcible acquisition of land from farmers for the pipeline project will never be accepted.

Pandian also demanded the withdrawal of the “anti-farmer” Tamil Nadu Land Consolidation Act, reminding Chief Minister M.K. Stalin of the DMK’s election promise to protect farmland from corporate encroachment. The farmers urged the State government to negotiate and consider rerouting the pipeline along highways instead of agricultural land.

Published - November 16, 2024 07:58 pm IST