Demanding constitution of Cauvery Management Board, over 200 cadres of CPI(M), MDMK and VCK were arrested as they picketed Mayiladuthurai-bound Mayailaduthurai-Tirunelveli passenger train at the railway station here on Tuesday.
They sat on the track and climbed on the engine to show their protest. The train was delayed for about 15 minutes.
They condemned attitude of the Central Government and its negligent attitude towards the people of Tamil Nadu.
In Palani, the police had tough time with VCK cadres as they entered the railway station through unauthorised way and tried to picket Madurai-bound Palani-Madurai passenger train. But the police immediately removed the agitators from the track and allowed the train to pass. Around 39 VCK cadres were arrested.
While the CPI cadres staged a demonstration before the railway station, cadres of the CPI(M) and the MDMK picketed the main road before the Palani post office. Around 100 cadres of the CPI(M) and the MDMK were arrested.
Over 300 cadres of the DMK were arrested when they staged a demonstration before the Canara Bank in Theni.
Ramanathapuram
Around 1,600 volunteers of various political parties courted arrest after blocking trains at different railway stations in Ramanathapuram and Sivaganga districts on Tuesday.
Volunteers of DMK, Congress, TMC, CPI (M), CPI, VCK, MDMK and Naam Tamizhar Katchi blocked trains at five railway stations in the two districts.
Former Ministers Suba Thangavelan and V. Sathiamoorthy, DMK district secretary Suba Tha Diwakaran, Congress leader Muthuramalingam, TMC leaders A Ravichandra Ramavanni and Kannan Babu were among those 600 who courted arrest when they blocked trains at the Ramanathapuram Railway Station.
Shouting slogans against the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance government at the Centre and accusing Prime Minister Narendra Modi of betraying the interests of Tamil Nadu on the Cauvery water issue, the volunteers entered the track and blocked the Tiruchi – Ramaeswaram passenger train. Police have arrested a batch of Naam Tamizhar Katchi volunteers.
The Left parties led the protest in support of farmers in Paramakudi where the police arrested 125 volunteers including 10 women when they blocked trains at Paramakudi Railway station. Those arrested included CPI (M) district secretary V Kasinathadurai, CPI district secretary N K Rajan, Tamil Nadu Farmers Association district president P K Murugesam, MDMK leader KAM Guna and VCK leader Vengai Siva.
At the Rasta Railway Station in Sivaganga district, former DMK minister K R Periyakaruppan and Congress Legislature Party leader K R Ramasamy led over 700 DMK and Congress volunteers and courted arrest. Police arrested a batch of 20 NTK volunteers at Karaikudi Railway Station and over 100 TMC cadre, led by district secretary Balasubramaniam at Sivaganga Railway Station.
Virudhunagar
Over 240 cadres of various political parties and farmers’ association were arrested when they took part in rail-roko agitation at Srivilliputtur and Rajapalayam on Tuesday.
The police said that cadres of the People’s Welfare Front, Congress, TMC and members of Tamilaga Vivasayigal Sangam managed to enter the Rajapalayam railway station and stopped the Madurai-Shencottah passenger train for 10 minutes.
The protest was led by party functionaries, Arjunan (CPI-M), Ramasamy (CPI), R.M. Shanmugasundaram (MDMK), Sathuragiri (VCK), Velayutham (Congress) and Samsudeen (TMC).
Fifteen cadres of Youth Congress, led by its functionary, A.K. Pandian, were arrested at Srivilliputtur when they blocked the Madurai-Shencottah passenger train for a few minutes.
However, 19 cadres of Naam Tamilar, led by its leader, Balan, were picked up before they could enter the Srivilliputtur railway station.
