Thanjavur: The Tamil Nadu Government must answer for the deaths of farmers in the delta districts, Dr. S. Ramadoss, Founder President of Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK), said.

Addressing a gathering at the agitation organised by Uzhavar Periyakkam in Kumbakonam today urging the government to stop the farmers’ suicides, Dr. Ramadoss said that farmers in the delta districts were dying either by committing suicides or suffering heart attacks unable to bear the grief as the failure of their crops.

“Should you (farmers) not feel anger and indignation? Should you not question the Agriculture Minister who belongs to this area and show black flags to him?” he asked. Ruling party men will get scared only when people question them, he added.

Ramadoss said that around 200 farmers had died in the delta districts and that the government should answer for this. The PMK leader exhorted the farmers to stage agitations and assured them that the PMK would accompany them. “Nothing will be achieved without resorting to agitation,” he added.

Karnakata had been refusing to release Cauvery water due to Tamil Nadu despite the Supreme Court’s order and the Central Government was acting against the interests of Tamil Nadu by not constituting the Cauvery Management Board (CMB) despite the SC’s order, Ramadoss said, adding, “These are unforgivable offences.”

Later, addressing media persons, Ramadoss said that the Prime Minister should visit and inspect the drought-hit State. The government should dismiss Minister Vellamandi Natarajan for his reported remarks denigrating the farmers’ deaths, he demanded, and exhorted all the farmers’ associations to come forward to fight unitedly for their rights.

Among others, the party’s Youth Wing President Anbumani Ramadoss, President G.K. Mani and Vanniar Sangam President J. Guru also spoke on the occasion.