)
Having rallied most of the opposition parties to back its March 28 bandh call protesting Karnataka's move to build a check dam across Cauvery, farmers' bodies in Tamil Nadu today met Chief Minister O Panneerselvam and sought the AIADMK government's support for the shutdown.
"We have requested government support for the state-wide bandh by suspending transport operations and have also reiterated our request for AIADMK's support," President of Coordination Committee of All Farmers Associations, P R Pandian said.
The committee has given the call for the bandh protesting against Karnataka, the upper riparian state, and the Centre over the dam issue. Besides the DMK, Congress, MDMK, CPI(M), CPI, Tamil Maanila Congress, traders associations and sand lorry operators have also expressed support for the shutdown.
BJP has said though it was not in favour of a bandh, it would not oppose it as it was a decision of all farmers' associations. The bandh call is also to press the Centre to stop the proposed construction of the dam and urge it to set up the Cauvery Management Board and Cauvery Water Regulatory Authority. Also, the Cauvery Delta region should be declared a protected farm zone, the committee had said.
