Chennai : Now mainstream opposition parties in Tamil Nadu have targeted the IPL matches, being held in Chennai as well, to pressurise the central government into setting up the Cauvery management board.

Fringe groups that threatened to stop IPL matches got a shot in their arm after mainstream political parties like the DMK, the Congress and its alliance partners in Tamil Nadu questioning the need for holding such entertainment at a time when farmers of Tamil Nadu were struggling for their lives.

Now, there is a threat for IPL matches in Chennai. The first match will be between Chennai Super Kings and Kolkata Knight Riders on April 11 at the MA Chidambaram stadium in Chennai.

DMK working president MK Stalin appealed to the IPL organisers to consider the plight of the state and its farming community and take an appropriate decision.

“We are not against holding of IPL matches, but the organisers should understand the problems of the people and act accordingly,” Stalin.

Rebel AIADMK leader Dhinakaran too spoke out against IPL and gave a call for boycott of this extravaganza till the centre set up the CMB. He alleged that the central government was playing politics over the issue and was not obeying the SC order as it was facing elections in Karnataka.

“It is clear that the BJP government is playing politics,” Dhinakaran said. He hoped that the youth and people of TN will return the tickets they bought for IPL and support the striking farmers.

TN government on the other hand promised adequate security if the organisers of the event requested.

Fisheries minister D Jayakumar told media persons that if the government will provide security, if the BCCI wanted.

On the Cauvery issue, the DMK is stepping up the ante. It has announced a Cauvery retrieval march from Tiruchirapalli to Cuddalore and the first phase will begin from Mukkombu in Tiruchirappalli district on April 7 and the second phase will start on April 9 from Ariyallur district and will cover all the seven districts and reach Cuddalore.

Stalin said the march will be peaceful.

On Friday, in Tiruchirapalli, farmers led by their leader P Ayyakannu buried themselves in the hot sand to protest. “We are in the hot sand and hot sun. we want to die as there is no water for us. Without water there is no life for us,” Ayyakannu said. They were later forcibly removed by the police.

ALSO READ : https://www.covaipost.com/tamilnadu-news/aiadmk-hunger-strike-or-a-strike-at-its-own-hunger/