Archive · 2 Sep 2026
Vijay Government to Withdraw Cases Against Farmers, Teachers
Tamil Nadu’s Chief Minister Vijay said his government will cancel certain criminal cases against farmers and teachers.
These people had protested about land, jobs, pay, pensions or working conditions.
Some farmers opposed an industrial estate near Tiruvannamalai.
Others opposed a proposed airport at Parandur because they feared losing farmland, wetlands and their livelihoods.
Some Tiruvannamalai protesters had been held under a strict law called the Goondas Act.
Vijay said dropping the cases would protect the right to protest and rebuild trust with the government.
The DMK questioned why the decision was being made.
Other political parties asked the government to cancel cases against additional groups of protesters.
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay announced withdrawal of pending criminal cases against farmers and teachers who held peaceful protests under the previous DMK government.
The decision includes farmers who opposed the proposed SIPCOT industrial estate expansion near Cheyyar in Tiruvannamalai.
Vijay said some Tiruvannamalai farmers had been booked under the Goondas Act after protesting the proposed acquisition of about 3,000 acres.
Cases against farmers involved in the prolonged Parandur airport agitation will also be dropped, following concerns over land, water systems and livelihoods.
The opposition DMK questioned the announcement’s intent, while the CPI and PMK sought similar relief for protesters in other cases.
- Who
- Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay, farmers, teachers, the opposition DMK, the CPI and the PMK.
- What
- The Vijay government announced that pending criminal cases against farmers and teachers involved in specified peaceful protests would be withdrawn.
- When
- Wednesday; the articles do not provide a calendar date.
- Where
- Tamil Nadu, including Tiruvannamalai, Cheyyar, Parandur and Kancheepuram.
- Why
- Vijay said the measure would protect democratic protest rights, address what he called inhumane treatment and rebuild trust between citizens and the administration.
Vijay Government’s Justification
Opposition and Critics’ Questions
Purpose of withdrawing cases
Vijay Government’s Justification
Vijay described the measure as humanitarian and democratic, saying it would protect the right to protest and rebuild trust between citizens and the administration.
Opposition and Critics’ Questions
The DMK questioned the intent of the announcement and noted that a previous DMK administration had withdrawn thousands of cases in other contexts.
Scope of the relief
Vijay Government’s Justification
The government said cases concerning farmers and teachers would be dropped irrespective of the legal provisions under which they were registered.
Opposition and Critics’ Questions
The CPI and PMK argued that similar relief should be extended to protesters involved in NEET and Neyveli Lignite Corporation-related demonstrations.
Treatment of protesters
Vijay Government’s Justification
Vijay characterized the earlier handling of people defending their livelihoods as inhumane and said the government would stand by farmers and teachers.
Opposition and Critics’ Questions
The reported arrests, notices and criminal cases have prompted demands from opposition parties for broader review and withdrawal of protest-related cases.
- Affected groups
- Farmers and teachers involved in protests over livelihood, rights, welfare and working conditions.
- Tiruvannamalai project
- Farmers opposed the proposed SIPCOT Phase-III expansion and acquisition of about 3,000 acres of agricultural land.
- Parandur project
- Farmers opposed the proposed greenfield airport because of concerns about farmland, wetlands, water systems and livelihoods.
- Legal action
- Seven Tiruvannamalai protesters were booked under the Goondas Act, while other cases remained pending.
- Parandur cases
- The article reports more than 17 criminal cases against organisers, along with other cases and notices involving protesters.
- Political response
- The DMK questioned the intent; the CPI and PMK requested extensions to other protest-related cases.
- Government response
- Law Minister C.T.R. Nirmal Kumar said requests concerning NEET and NLC protesters would be examined.
