DMK convenes all-party meet to deliberate TN farmers' woes

Chennai (Tamil Nadu) [India], April 16 (ANI): The Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) has convened an all-party meeting to deliberate the woes of the farmers of drought-hit Tamil Nadu agitating for a crop loan waiver. Earlier on Tuesday, Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman P.J. Kurien asked the Centre to hold talks with the agitating farmers. Meanwhile, the Tamil Nadu farmers continue to protest for drought relief at the Jantar Mantar in the national capital. The farmers have been resorting to different ways of protesting, right from bringing skulls of dead farmers to standing nude in front of the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) to male farmers wearing sarees. Earlier, Congress leader Manishankar Aiyar and DMK MP Kanimozhi had joined the protesting farmers at the Jantar Mantar. DMK working president M.K. Stalin had also met the farmers on April 1 and lashed out at the Centre, saying it seemed to be "unperturbed" by their issues. The farmers have been demanding that their loans from nationalised banks be forgiven, fair and just prices be set for their produce besides realistic solutions to address water scarcity in Tamil Nadu. All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagham (AIADMK) member and Lok Sabha Deputy Speaker M. Thambidurai had earlier this week visited the agitating farmers at the Jantar Mantar and assured them that their grievances would be placed before Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the earliest. (ANI)