Dairy farmers pour milk on the road to protest against Stalin’s government over prices

The dairy farmers in Tamil Nadu carried out an unusual protest against Chief Minister M K Stalin-led DMK government demanding an increase in milk procurement prices.

The protest was carried out by the farmers in Erode district where the dairy farmers staged a demonstration along with their cows in the middle of the road obstructing the traffic. The farmers threw the milk on the road and were heard raising slogans against the Stalin regime. This comes a few weeks after the DMK government registered victory in the Erode by-polls.

The Erode East by-poll segment was held on February 27 where a total of 77 candidates across political affiliations were vying for the prized assembly constituency. As the results were announced on March 2, the ruling DMK-led Secular Progressive Alliance (SPA) retained the elections with an emphatic win against the K Palaniswami-led AIADMK. Erode recorded 74 per cent voting when it went to the poll

The byelection was necessitated by the death of Congress MLA Thirumagan Everaa earlier this year. Thirumagan, son of Elangovan, died of a cardiac arrest on January 4 at the age of 46. Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin on Saturday said that the victory of the DMK alliance in the recently held Erode bypolls had shown the confidence people had in the ruling government.

After winning, CM Stalin said that the victory of the DMK alliance in bypolls had shown the confidence people had in the ruling government. He said people have “taught a lesson” to Leader of Opposition and AIADMK interim chief K Palaniswami, whom Stalin accused of making “fourth-rate (campaign) speech.” “I sought an endorsement of the DMK government’s Dravidian model and asked them to gauge our government. People have gauged and have strengthened this government,” he added.

He expressed confidence that the SPA will record a bigger win in the 2024 elections in the state. Tamil Nadu has 39 LS seats while neighbouring Puducherry has one.