Tiruchy farmers protest against fleecing finance firms

TIRUCHY: A section of farmers from Tiruchy staged a protest against the private finance firms on Monday for torturing the farmers. According to protesting ryots, one of the woman farmers Jothi obtained a loan of Rs 3.30 lakh for a vehicle from a private finance firm from Padalur and was paying an EMI of Rs 16,120.

So far she had paid a sum of Rs 4.87 lakh but the finance firm said that she has to pay an additional amount of Rs 1.19 lakh and the farmers who converged at Tiruchy Collectorate headed by P Ayyakannu, State president of Desiya Thennindiya Nadhigal Inaippu Sangam and staged a protest. The farmers demanded action against the finance firm and raised slogans.

On information, DRO Rajalakshmi visited the protesting members and held talks. Upon assurance by the DRO, the farmers dispersed from the spot. While speaking to reporters, Ayyakannu said, the farmers were approached by the private financial firm collection agents and have been speaking rudely.

He said that the list of such private firms has been given to the DRO who came for the talks. “We hope, proper action would be initiated against those financial firms so that the farmers would heave a great sigh of relief,” Ayyakannu said.