Farmers in Punjab's Ludhiana district have taken a significant step to express solidarity with their counterparts in Tamil Nadu, submitting a formal memorandum to the district administration. The document, addressed to the President of India, Droupadi Murmu, urges her intervention in a high-profile legal case involving two Tamil Nadu farmer leaders.
Details of the Case and the Conviction
The memorandum focuses on the case of farmer leaders P R Pandian and Selvaraj, who were recently sentenced to 13 years of imprisonment by a fast-track court in Tiruvarur, Tamil Nadu. The legal proceedings stem from an incident dated July 16, 2015, in Kariyamangalam village of Tiruvarur district.
On that day, farmers were protesting against the activities of the Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) in the region. The local farming community had raised strong objections to the establishment of ONGC facilities, citing grave concerns over the potential damage to precious farmland, contamination of groundwater, and overall environmental safety in the fertile Cauvery delta belt.
Following the protest, the police registered a case alleging multiple offences, including damage to ONGC property and rioting. After years of legal battles, the court not only handed down the lengthy prison sentences but also imposed substantial fines on the two leaders.
Nationwide Concerns and the Ludhiana Memorandum
The memorandum was submitted under the banner of the Sanyukt Kisan Morcha (Non-Political). The farmer representatives from Ludhiana argued that this conviction has sent shockwaves through farmer organisations across India. They stated it raises serious questions about the treatment of protest movements that oppose large-scale infrastructure and energy projects in crucial agricultural zones.
P R Pandian, a well-known figure in Tamil Nadu's agrarian activism, has been associated with numerous movements challenging hydrocarbon exploration in regions deemed sensitive for agriculture. The leaders of SKM (Non-Political) in Ludhiana contended that the punishment awarded is excessive and reflects a growing pressure on farmer leaders who mobilise communities to voice their dissent.
Appeal to the President and National Solidarity
The core appeal in the memorandum is for the President to take cognizance of the matter. The farmers have requested that, using constitutional provisions, she should seek a legal and humanitarian resolution through the Union government and the Tamil Nadu state government.
Gurinder Singh Sidhupur, a union representative, encapsulated the sentiment, stating, "It is strange that the farmer, who was trying to protect the environment, has been sentenced. Farmers across India stand with him and appeal to the President to urgently intervene and listen to the genuine concerns and demands of the farmers there."
The farm leaders from Ludhiana have made it clear that this issue transcends state boundaries. They vowed to continue raising the matter on national platforms, emphasizing that the fight for land rights, environmental protection, and farmers' welfare is a unified struggle for the entire Indian farming community.
