09 September,2018 10:24 AM IST | Chennai | PTI
Kamal Haasan
Makkal Neethi Maiam founder- president Kamal Haasan Saturday condemned the detention of Swaraj Abhiyan leader Yogendra Yadav near Tiruvannamalai when he was on his way to express solidarity with farmers protesting against the proposed Salem-Chennai Expressway project. He said 'brother' Yadav, "a politician from a different state" had come to learn about the opinion of the farmers of our state".
"This act is to be criticised and condemned, as it prevents opinions from being shared and is an act of dictatorship," Haasan said in a statement here. People should have the freedom to express their views without fear, the actor-turned-politician added. The Swaraj Abhiyan leader tweeted that he was "manhandled" and pushed into a police van. "We came on the invitation of Movement Against 8Lane Way.
We were prevented from going to meet farmers, phones were snatched, we were roughed up and pushed into the police van. Firsthand experience of police state in TN," he said. Yadav said he had come here for fact-finding on land acquisition when he was stopped from proceeding. The Rs 10,000-crore eight-lane expressway connecting Salem with Chennai is being opposed by a section of farmers and land owners who do not want to part with their land.
The project, a Central government initiative being implemented by the Tamil Nadu government, aims to bring down the travel time between Salem and Chennai. The state government has been insisting that it would also help address the issue of fatal accidents on this stretch, besides saving on fuel and vehicular wear and tear.
ALSO READ
'Ensure local body election in Ahmednagar conducted in 'right earnest''
Karnataka results won't affect Lok Sabha, Maharashtra elections: CM Shinde
NCP to start preparations for Maharashtra elections
Manipur: Woman killed after getting caught in crossfire
West Bengal: Junior doctors' stir over RG Kar horror to continue despite SC direction
Catch up on all the latest Crime, National, International and Hatke news here. Also download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get latest updates
This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever