Lok Sabha polls | Cattle traders in Erode stage protest after seizure of money by election officials
The Hindu
Traders protest in Erode after election officials seize money, leaving them with no funds for cattle purchases.
Over 20 traders from districts in T.N. and Andhra Pradesh staged a sit-in-protest at the Erode Collectorate’s premises claiming that election officials had seized all their money and that they had been made to run from pillar to post to get it back.
Traders from various T.N. districts and from Andhra Pradesh had come to Karungalpalayam on Wednesday (March 20) night to purchase cattle in the shandy on Thursday, March 21, 2024. They said that at the entrance to the shandy, officials seized all their money and assured them that it would be returned in a few hours. “But when we asked for the money, they asked us to get it from the Collectorate,” the traders said and claimed that they were left with no money to even get breakfast.
On Thursday, they came to the Collectorate, but did not get a proper response from officials. A trader from Tenkasi said he had pledged his wife’s jewellery and brought money to purchase cattle. “But officials are refusing to accept this document,” he said and asked, “What further documents can I produce.”
Traders said election officials had seized the money from them despite knowing that the money was being used only to purchase cattle. They said during the elections when the model code of conduct (MCC) was in force, they were badly affected and despite several representations, their problems have remained unresolved.
“There is no digital payment system in the shandy and we need to carry cash for purchases,” the farmers said and added that if they carried only ₹50,000, as per MCC norms, they would be able to purchase only one cattle. “Even after we produced documents accounting for the source of the money, officials are refusing to return our money to us,” they said, and staged the protest.
Later, police personnel held talks with the traders, and they withdrew their protest.
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