While Karnataka Jala Samrakhshan Samiti, an umbrella outfit of farmers’ association and opposition parties in Karnataka are holding protests in the state regarding the Cauvery water dispute, farmers in Tamil Nadu also took the street to protest on the same and demanded for the release of Cauvery water to the state from Karnataka. 

The conflict between the two states broke out when the Cauvery Water Management Authority (CWMA) order directed Karnataka to continue releasing 5000 cusecs of water to Tamil Nadu for another 15 days. Following the order, top Congress leaders of Karnataka maintained that there is no surplus water available to be released. 

Protesting against the Karnataka government and demanding release of Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu, a group of farmers from Tiruchirappalli were holding dead rats in their mouths. Notably, a similar protest was seen in April 2017, when  Chinnagodangi Palanisamy, a 65-year-old farmer, caught a live rat in his mouth while protesting near Delhi’s Jantar Mantar to draw the government’s attention to the plight of farmers in drought-stricken areas of Tamil Nadu. The photos of this incident went viral then.

Meanwhile, farmers from different parts of Thanjavur performed Tharpanam, a ritual which is done for ancestors, in front of district collector office, urging the government to get Tamil Nadu’s share of water in Cauvery for Kuruvai and Samba cultivation. Kuruvai cultivation refers to the seasonal cultivation of paddy during the Kuruvai season in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. Samba cultivation also refers to a seasonal paddy cultivation.

Furthermore, members of Cauvery Urimai Meetpu Kulu also staged a rail roko protest in Thanjavur by blocking Cholan Express train, condemning Karnataka government to release Tamil Nadu’s share of water in Cauvery river. Reportedly, the protestors were arrested by the police. 

In another protest regarding the same, members of Desai Thenninthiya Nathigal Inaippu Vivasayigal Sangam (National South Indian River Interlinking Agriculturist Association) held a protest under the leadership of state president of the association Ayyakannu in Trichy by performing the last rites of Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah. They condemned the Karnataka state government for not releasing enough water from Cauvery. 

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