Youth back from all-India ride to ‘save farmers’

A warm reception was accorded to a 23-year-old youth by friends and well-wishers here on Wednesday on the successful completion of a nationwide two-wheeler awareness campaign all alone on the slogan 'save farmers'. He rode 5,500 kilometres in support of the farming community highlighting the slogan.

S Pal Pandiyan, a diploma holder in mechanical engineering and a resident of Palakkarai here, has been assisting his father in running a vegetable commission mandi at Gandhi Market in the city. He commenced his ride on August 5 and reached Khardong La Pass located at a height of 18,380 feet in the Ladakh region of Jammu and Kashmir on August 15, he claimed.
"I started from Trichy on August 5 and I hoisted our national flag on reaching Khardonga La Pass on the day of Independence", Pal Pandiyan said. He had reached the destination via Ananthpur, Nagpur, Agra and Chandigarh. Every day he travelled 600 kilometres after a brief stay during nights wherever he stops at 6 in the evening. During his ride, he met many students and villagers and explained about farmers and their struggle for their livelihood and stressed the need for safeguarding them. He also explained about the ongoing protest at Kathiramangalam and Neduvasal, he added.
"While I was with my father at vegetable mandi, I had a chance to meet and converse with vegetable farmers. During the conversation I happened to know that none of their children had opted to take up agriculture as their profession considering that it was waste of time and money. If the situation continued, the entire sector would be on the verge of extinct. It forced me to take up this challenging task", said Pal Pandiyan.
On his return, Pal Pandiyan had met the farmers who have been struggling for the benefits of farming community headed by P Ayyakannu at Jantar Mantar in Delhi. He had spent two days with him, he further said. "I personally appeal to my fellow youngsters to take up agriculture as profession, if they have land. Others do something to safeguard farmers and farming", he said.