TN-FARMERS-MODI

TN farmers to double up as 'Aghoris' in UP to take on PM
Tiruchirappalli,Mar 24 (PTI) Over 100 Tamil Nadu ryots
will dress up like Aghori sadhus (Shiva followers) and seek
alms in Uttar Pradesh to pay for filing their nomination to
the Varanasi constituency from where Prime Minister Narendra
Modi is contesting, farmers' leader P Ayyakannu said Sunday.
This plan is to try and bring back focus on the plight
of farmers besides collecting money (about Rs 25,000 for each
nomination) for filing papers, Ayyakannu said.
"We plan to dress up like Aghori sadhus and seek alms,"
Ayyakannu, president of the National South Indian Rivers
Inter-Linking Farmers Association, told PTI in an interview.
Ayyakannu had said on Saturday that 111 farmers from
Tamil Nadu would contest against Modi from Varanasi if the BJP
does not assure them of fulfilling their demands such as
profitable prices for farm produce and include it in the party
manifesto.
Had the Centre fulfilled their demands following
several protests in Delhi in 2017, he said they would not have
been forced to resort to such "methods."
Ayyakannu said "our Aghori sadhus protest mode will
help people realise that our demands are just and fair."
"We are also thinking of holding a nude protest to
highlight our demands like we did in Delhi," he said.
The farmers leader had held various forms of protest
including entering the sea in Tamil Nadu to highlight their
demands.
    In November 2018, farmers led by Ayyakannu had gone to
Delhi with two skulls, to take part in a kisan rally, alleging
it belonged to their colleagues who had allegedly committed
suicide over debt.
A key demand, loan waiver, is doable if only the
government has the will to do it, according to him.
"The total farmers loan outstandings is only about
Rs 75,000 crore across the country," Ayyakannu said.
He claimed that very huge corporate bad loans were
being waived by banks.
Ayyakannu wanted to know if farmers who fed the country
did not deserve a better deal from the government.
"Our demand for loan waiver is just and fair. We don't
have profitable prices for our produce. How do you expect us
to clear up our crop loans?" he asked.
Loan waiver from all banks, pension for farmers over
60 years, a complete ban on genetically modified seeds and
food products,linking rivers, comprehensive personal insurance
are the key demands, the farmers leader added. PTI VGN BN
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