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The politics over the land protests has begun with leaders across parties attacking Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati for the clashes between the state police and farmers agitating against land acquisition for the Yamuna Expressway in Greater Noida.
While BJP leader and former UP chief minister Rajnath Singh held the Mayawati government totally responsible for the unrest, senior Congress leader and Union Steel Minister Beni Prasad Verma described the police action against farmers as “unacceptable” and cautioned the Mayawati-led Uttar Pradesh government against “arrogance”.
As the parties slam Mayawati, the issue holds political significance in the wake of Assembly elections in the state early next year.
“Whatever has happened or is happening in Noida is sad and unfortunate. The Uttar Pradesh chief minister (Mayawati) should intervene personally and enter into a dialogue with the agitating farmers. She should not leave it to the administration. She should have done it earlier, but she chose not to despite having the time,” Rajnath Singh told The Indian Express on Sunday.
Beni Prasad Verma said the clash between the police and farmers was an outcome of the state government’s dictatorial attitude. “The death of farmers by police firing is unacceptable in a democracy. The Mayawati government must amend its ways,” he said.
“Mayawati should get rid of her arrogance and should learn to feel the pulse of the common public,” Verma added.
Rashtriya Lok Dal chief, Ajit Singh, who was detained and released later on his way to the protest site in Greater Noida, also came down against Mayawati. He said he had sought a meeting with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to press for expediting the amendments to Land Acquisition Act.
“I have sought an appointment with Prime Minister to remind him of his commitment to bring amendments to the Land Acquisition Act at the earliest,” Singh said. He lamented that the Congress-led UPA government did not expedite the issue despite a public commitment.
In fact, Congress general secretary Rahul Gandhi had petitioned the Prime Minister last year to expedite the amendments to the Land Acquisition Act. However, there was no tangible progress after that.
In this context, former Rajnath Singh suggested a nationwide ban on acquisition of land since a Bill to amend the land acquisition law was pending before Parliament.
“The UP government knew very well that a Bill to amend the Land Acquisition Act is under the consideration of Parliament. Despite that, it allowed acquisition of land, overlooking the objections of farmers. After all, they are the owners of the land and the land cannot be acquired without their consent,” Rajnath Singh said.
JD(U) president Sharad Yadav also echoed similar sentiments, accusing the Mayawati-led BSP government of being “hand-in-gloves” with the land mafia.
“I demand a new act during the next session of Parliament and till then, all kinds of land acquisition should be stopped,” Yadav said.
The ongoing violence and death is the fourth such incident in the last four years of Mayawati’s rule.
The first instance of police-farmer clash happened in Ghodi Bacheda village in Greater Noida in 2008, a year after Mayawati came to power. The clashes erupted again at Tappal in Aligarh and Bajna in Mathura last year.
While BJP leader and former UP chief minister Rajnath Singh held the Mayawati government totally responsible for the unrest, senior Congress leader and Union Steel Minister Beni Prasad Verma described the police action against farmers as “unacceptable” and cautioned the Mayawati-led Uttar Pradesh government against “arrogance”.
As the parties slam Mayawati, the issue holds political significance in the wake of Assembly elections in the state early next year.
“Whatever has happened or is happening in Noida is sad and unfortunate. The Uttar Pradesh chief minister (Mayawati) should intervene personally and enter into a dialogue with the agitating farmers. She should not leave it to the administration. She should have done it earlier, but she chose not to despite having the time,” Rajnath Singh told The Indian Express on Sunday.
Beni Prasad Verma said the clash between the police and farmers was an outcome of the state government’s dictatorial attitude. “The death of farmers by police firing is unacceptable in a democracy. The Mayawati government must amend its ways,” he said.
“Mayawati should get rid of her arrogance and should learn to feel the pulse of the common public,” Verma added.
Rashtriya Lok Dal chief, Ajit Singh, who was detained and released later on his way to the protest site in Greater Noida, also came down against Mayawati. He said he had sought a meeting with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to press for expediting the amendments to Land Acquisition Act.
“I have sought an appointment with Prime Minister to remind him of his commitment to bring amendments to the Land Acquisition Act at the earliest,” Singh said. He lamented that the Congress-led UPA government did not expedite the issue despite a public commitment.
In fact, Congress general secretary Rahul Gandhi had petitioned the Prime Minister last year to expedite the amendments to the Land Acquisition Act. However, there was no tangible progress after that.
In this context, former Rajnath Singh suggested a nationwide ban on acquisition of land since a Bill to amend the land acquisition law was pending before Parliament.
“The UP government knew very well that a Bill to amend the Land Acquisition Act is under the consideration of Parliament. Despite that, it allowed acquisition of land, overlooking the objections of farmers. After all, they are the owners of the land and the land cannot be acquired without their consent,” Rajnath Singh said.
JD(U) president Sharad Yadav also echoed similar sentiments, accusing the Mayawati-led BSP government of being “hand-in-gloves” with the land mafia.
“I demand a new act during the next session of Parliament and till then, all kinds of land acquisition should be stopped,” Yadav said.
The ongoing violence and death is the fourth such incident in the last four years of Mayawati’s rule.
The first instance of police-farmer clash happened in Ghodi Bacheda village in Greater Noida in 2008, a year after Mayawati came to power. The clashes erupted again at Tappal in Aligarh and Bajna in Mathura last year.
