Police stop group of farmers heading to New Delhi
Police in Tamil Nadu detained a group of farmers led by P. Ayyakannu who were attempting to travel to New Delhi to protest against Karnataka's water release policies. The farmers were held in marriage halls and expressed frustration over the disruption of their protest plans.
Why it matters
The incident underscores the long-standing and contentious inter-state water dispute between Tamil Nadu and Karnataka.
A group of farmers of Desiya Thenindiya Nadigal Inaippu Vivasayigal Sangam, including its leader P. Ayyakannu, were detained by the city police when they were about to travel to New Delhi from here on Tuesday.
The farmers had planned to stage a protest in New Delhi against Karnataka’s refusal to release Tamil Nadu’s share of water in the Cauvery on monthly basis as ordered by the Supreme Court.
The association demanded that Karnataka pay a compensation of ₹1 lakh crore to Tamil Nadu farmers for its refusal to release water to the lower riparian State. If it failed to do so, the government should be dismissed, it contended. “We had planned to submit petitions in this regard to the President and Chief Justice of the Supreme Court,” Mr. Ayyakannu said.
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