Farmers forced to bribe all and sundry as DMK govt outsourced procurement, alleges Aadhav Arjuna

CHENNAI: Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) general secretary (election campaign management) Aadhav Arjuna on Friday launched a scathing attack on the ruling DMK government, accusing it of betraying the farming community through what he termed as an "advertising model" of governance that prioritises image over action.

In a statement, Aadhav Arjuna said, "The DMK government boasts of being a pro-welfare regime, but in reality, it is an indifferent, inefficient, and corrupt administration that has pushed paddy farmers to the brink."

He alleged that farmers are being forced to pay bribes at every stage of the State's direct paddy procurement process—from weighing to bundling—while payment for paddy worth Rs 811 crore has been delayed for over three months.

Aadhav Arjuna blamed the crisis on the State's decision to permit the National Co-operative Consumers' Federation of India Private Limited—a private entity, not a public sector body—to handle procurement.

"Lacking infrastructure and accountability, they outsourced the task to private agents who have failed to pay farmers," he said.

He further criticised the government's suppression of protests, questioning the Chief Minister's silence on the demands of farmers, as per the appeal made by the PR Pandian-led delegation.

"The same leader who once stood by protesting farmers now stifles their voice," he added, hitting out at the DMK government.

Demanding immediate payment to farmers and a return to direct State procurement, Aadhav Arjuna warned that continued negligence would provoke statewide agitation.

"This anti-farmer, advertisement-driven governance will face the farmers' wrath in the 2026 Assembly polls," he cautioned.