Tamil Nadu: Yogendra Yadav arrested while going to meet protesting farmers

Sep 8 (AZINS) Swaraj India party president Yogendra Yadav was initially detained and much later arrested by police in Tiruvannamala on Saturday for protesting against the eight-lane Salem-Chennai expressway. He was taken to a nearby location along with other farmers who were protesting.After being detained, Yadav said "I came to ask farmers if they really want to give their lands. But within minutes, we were detained. They dragged me and others as well."

Yadav said he was not allowed to visit the farmers on account of a law and order situation and 'creating unrest in the area.' After a long time, when Yadav repeatedly tweeted saying that police is not giving any reason behind their detention, he was finally arrested. Yadav took to Twitter to announce that he along with two other local farmer leaders ChandraKumar and Arul Arumugam have also been arrested

Farmers have been protesting against the project which would connect Chennai and Salem. Yadav said that despite giving in writing that he wouldn't be holding any rally and will only meet farmers in their homes, he was arrested. After Yadav's tweets went viral, many activists and actors took to Twitter to condemn this action. Yogendra Yadav retweeted some of the messages also.

Yogendra Yadav's political party Swaraj India also posted several videos where he lashed out at state government for trying to curb dissent and freedom of expression.