Ponnusamy Ayyakannu[1] is an activist, lawyer and farmer and the chief of the Desiya Thenidhiya Nathigal Inaippu Vivasayigal Sangam.[2][3][4] He led the 2017 Tamil Nadu farmers' protest against the central government at New Delhi, demanding the agricultural loan in cooperative banks to be abandoned.[5]
P Ayyakannu | |
|---|---|
| Born | Ponnusamy Ayyakannu 1949 |
| Occupation(s) | Lawyer, Farmer |
| Organization | Desiya Thenidhiya Nathigal Inaippu Vivasayigal Sangam |
| Children | 2 |
Personal life
editAyyakannu was born on 1949 in Musiri, Tiruchirappalli district in Tamil Nadu in a family of nine children. He completed his primary education at Musiri Primary School, his higher education at the National High School in Trichy, his Pre-university course at Jamal Mohammad College, his degree at Bishop Heber College, and completed his law studies at the Madras Law College during the 1970s. He then began work in agriculture and his profession as a lawyer after receiving his family's inheritance.[6] His wife and two sons are also advocates.[4]
Politics
editAyyakkannu contested for the Janata Party in the Musiri constituency in the 1977 election. He got 15,000 votes despite not winning the election.[6]
In March 2019, he announced that 111 farmers would contest against Narendra Modi in his Varanasi (Lok Sabha constituency) in protest against the failure of the BJP to deliver on its promises made to farmers during the 2014 election.[7] On April 8, 2019, he announced that he is not going to contest after a meeting with Amit Shah and Piyush Goyal the previous day.[8]
Activism
editInitially, Ayyakannu was part of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) affiliated Bharatiya Kisan Sangh and acted as its deputy general secretary of Tamil Nadu. He resumed his demonstrations against the central government when the Bharatiya Janata party (BJP) came to power in 2014. He later left the Bharatiya Kisan Sangh and formed his own farmers organization called the Desiya Thenidhiya Nathigal Inaippu Vivasayigal Sangam (National South Indian River Interlinking Agriculturalists Association).[4][9]
2017 Tamil Nadu farmers protest in Delhi
editTamil Nadu in 2016 suffered severe drought than in 100 years. Many farmers were unable to pay the loans back. Ayyakannu led Protestants in New Delhi and asked the government to abandon the loan they got from the cooperative banks.[10] These protesters also demanded the establishment and proper functioning of Cauvery River water management, as the Karnataka Government wasn't releasing water for Tamil Nadu, as per the Supreme court order.[11][12]
Conflict with the Bhartiya Janata Party
editH. Raja of the Bhartiya Janata Party spoke to the media that Ayyakannu is a fraud. He further tweeted that Ayyakannu was in connection with Afzal Guru for years. Raja's tweet was criticized by the Congress.[13] Ayyakannu responded by speaking to the media that Raja might even call them Pakistani terrorists if they continue to protest.[14] In July 2017, Ayyakannu told journalists that he and the protesters had received hundreds of calls from BJP workers from different districts, including Karur and Thanjavur, threatening them that if they refused to give up their protest, they would be run over by a car or a lorry. He also accused H Raja as the one behind the threat calls. He said that a threat call was received from a person close to Raja and has filed a complaint with the Delhi police and Trichy police.[15][16]
In March 2018, the BJP Women's Wing district secretary allegedly slapped Ayyakannu after an argument while he was distributing pamphlets during his 100-day rally where the farmers distributed pamphlets which demanded loan wavers and pension for elderly farmers.[17][18]
References
edit- ^ Pioneer, The. "Rajinikanth offers Rs1 cr to interlink rivers". The Pioneer. Retrieved 13 January 2021.
- ^ "Tamil Nadu Farmers Start 'Indefinite Protest'". NDTV.com. Retrieved 13 January 2021.
- ^ Scroll Staff. "Protesting Tamil Nadu farmers eat human excreta to draw Centre's attention". Scroll.in. Retrieved 13 January 2021.
- ^ a b c "Who is P.Ayyakannu ?". www.livemint.com. Retrieved 22 January 2018.
- ^ "Cauvery dispute: Madras HC allows farmer leader to stage protest". The New Indian Express. Archived from the original on 30 April 2018. Retrieved 13 January 2021.
- ^ a b "யார் இந்த அய்யாக்கண்ணு?". BBC News (in Tamil). Retrieved 13 January 2021.
- ^ Scroll Staff. "Lok Sabha elections: 111 Tamil Nadu farmers to contest against PM Modi in Varanasi". Scroll.in. Retrieved 13 January 2021.
- ^ Federal, The (8 April 2019). "Ayyakannu to not contest against Modi in Varanasi". The Federal. Retrieved 13 January 2021.
- ^ ANI (30 November 2018). "TN farmers threaten to walk naked to Parliament if demands go unanswered". Business Standard India. Retrieved 13 January 2021.
- ^ "Tamil Nadu: Farmers' leader P Ayyakannu alleges BJP is threatening their lives - Bangalore Mirror -". Bangalore Mirror. bangaloremirror.indiantimes.com. Retrieved 22 January 2018.
- ^ "Ryots wronged, take protest to Delhi | India Water Portal".
- ^ "விவசாயிகள் போராட்டத்தில் தமிழக விவசாயிகள் எங்கே? அய்யாக்கண்ணு என்ன செய்கிறார்?". BBC News (in Tamil). Retrieved 13 January 2021.
- ^ "Congress, BJP spar over P Ayyakannu". The Times of India. 1 May 2017. Retrieved 1 July 2020.
- ^ "Tamil Nadu farmers warn of 'bigger demo'". Deccan Chronicle. 11 May 2017. Retrieved 13 January 2021.
- ^ Emmanuel, Gladwin (24 July 2017). "Tamil Nadu: Farmers' leader P Ayyakannu alleges BJP is threatening their lives". Bangalore Mirror. Retrieved 13 January 2021.
- ^ "Ayyakannu accuses BJP of threatening farmers". dtNext.in. 25 July 2017. Retrieved 13 January 2021.[dead link]
- ^ "Scuffle breaks out between farmer leader P Ayyakannu, female BJP worker in TN temple". Deccan Chronicle. 9 March 2018. Retrieved 13 January 2021.
- ^ "Farmer Leader Slapped By BJP Worker For Allegedly Using Abusive Language". NDTV.com. Retrieved 13 January 2021.