A group of farmers led by P. Ayyakannu, president of the Desiya Thenindiya Nadhigal Innaippu Vivasayigal Sangam, heading to Varanasi to contest against Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the Lok Sabha elections, was deboarded from a train at Chengalpattu and sent back to Tiruchi on Friday.
A group of about 100 farmers was proceeding to Banaras from Tiruchi in Kashi Tamil Express from Tiruchi. The association had announced that 111 farmers would contest against Prime Minister Narendra Modi in protest against his “failure” to fulfil his promises to farmers and to press for its demands, including remunerative prices for all agricultural produce and waiver of all crop loans.
The farmers said they had booked tickets on the train. According to Mr. Ayyakannu, 39 farmers had RAC (Reservation against cancellation) tickets and the rest were wait-listed. However, railway officials reportedly told farmers that all the tickets were wait-listed. However, all of them boarded the unreserved coaches in Tiruchi and later at Thanjavur some of them pulled the alarm chain leading to the train being stopped for over one hour. After talks with railway and railway police officials, they were reportedly told that an additional coach would be attached to the train at Villupuram.
As no additional coach was attached, the farmers staged a protest at Villupuram. All the farmers were deboarded and detained at Chengalpattu by the Government Railway Police and the RPF personnel as they had only waitlisted tickets. They were released in the evening and sent back to Tiruchi.
Mr. Ayyakannu alleged that the railway officials had prevented them from proceeding to Varanasi.
