Farmers in Tamil Nadu's Namakkal district staged a dramatic road blockade on Tuesday, halting a sugarcane truck and sitting in protest. Their grievance centered on serious allegations of corruption and bribery against officials from the cooperative department. The officials are tasked with procuring sugarcane for distribution as part of the state government's Pongal gift to rice card holders.
Allegations of Bribery and Irregular Procurement
The protest erupted in the Samayasangili area near Pallipalayam. Farmers claimed that the procurement process, which had already been delayed, was now marred by blatant bias and extortion. They alleged that cooperative department officials were selectively buying sugarcane only from those farmers who agreed to pay a high commission. The specific accusation was that officials demanded 400 sugarcanes free of cost for every 4,000 sugarcanes procured, effectively a 10% bribe.
This protest followed earlier complaints from farmers about lax procurement this year. In response, District Collector Durga Moorthy had conducted a field inspection and ordered immediate procurement. However, once the process began, the new allegations of bribery surfaced, leading to Tuesday's direct action.
Road Blockade and Police Intervention
During the protest, the agitated farmers stopped a truck that had arrived in the area to load sugarcane. They proceeded to sit on the road, bringing traffic to a halt. The situation continued until personnel from the Pallipalayam police arrived at the scene. The police managed to pacify the protesters, following which they dispersed and cleared the roadblock.
Ongoing Scrutiny of the Pongal Gift Scheme
The incident casts a shadow over the implementation of the state government's popular Pongal gift scheme, intended to provide festive cheer to rice card holders. The farmers' protest highlights a breakdown in the procurement system at the local level, pointing to potential systemic corruption. The allegations now put pressure on district administration to investigate the claims of irregularities thoroughly and ensure a transparent and fair process for the farmers who supply the sugarcane for the scheme.
