The psephologist-turned-politician, Yogendra Yadav, was detained in Tiruvannamalai district of Tamil Nadu while he was enroute to meet farmers so as to protest against a proposed Rs. 10,000 crore eight-lane expressway of Salem-Chennai. Posting tweets on Twitter, Yadav alleged the police of manhandling him and stopping him from meeting the farmers.
He stated, “TN police has detained me and team in Chengam PS, Thiru Annamalai district. We came on the invitation of Movement Against 8Lane Way. We were prevented from going to meet farmers, phones snatched, manhandled and pushed into a police van. Firsthand experience of police state in TN!”
TN police has detained me and team in Chengam PS, Thiru Annamalai district. We came on the invitation of Movement Against 8Lane Way.
We were prevented from going to meet farmers, phones snatched, manhandled and pushed into police van.
First hand experience of police state in TN!— Yogendra Yadav (@_YogendraYadav) September 8, 2018
Yadav was the one who rolled out the Jai Kisan Andolan, a campaign for the rights of the farmers last year, alleged that he was arrested few minutes after he had spoken to a senior district official on phone concerning the complaints of forced acquisition of land for police excesses and the expressway.
He further tweeted, “ I had spoken to Mr Kandasamy, Collector, Thiru Annamalai about acquisition and complains of police excesses for 8 lane way. He completely denied any police interference. Within minutes of the phone call police detained us”.
I had spoken to Mr Kandasamy, Collector, Thiru Annamalai about acquisition and complains of police excesses for 8 lane way. He completely denied any police interference. Within minutes of the phone call police detained us. https://t.co/KYrA0oHJ26
— Yogendra Yadav (@_YogendraYadav) September 8, 2018
As per the sources, Yadav had not taken any permission for any programme.
The expressway has been seeing strong disapproval from a section of the locals that include farmers over the fear of losing their land, along with environmentalists who are in strong disagreement with the project of felling of trees.
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