Protest against the Rs 1,500 crore Yamuna Expressway project grows as farmers, angry over low compensation, clashed with Uttar Pradesh police
Protest against the Rs 1,500 crore Yamuna Expressway project grows as farmers, angry over low compensation, clashed with Uttar Pradesh police
Development comes at a cost; the fact has been exemplified once again by the ongoing farmer's protest in Uttar Pradesh. The fury over land takeover spread Sunday to Agra as the number of dead in clashes with security forces in Greater Noida rose to four, officials said. Angry farmers in Agra's Etmadpur tehsil went on a rampage, pelting stones at police and setting fire to vehicles and furniture of the Jaypee group's Yamuna Express Highway camp office.
Policemen talking to locals after Section 144 was imposed in this
village during the agitation of farmers against land acquisition for
Yamuna Expressway Highway at Bhatta village in Noida on Sunday.
PIC/MID DAY
Violence was reported from two spots near Chalesar and Etmadpur. Police said the situation had been brought under control. Director General of Police Aseem Arun said two policemen had been hurt in the violence and two police vehicles were damaged. The latest incidents were triggered by news of farmer-police clashes in Noida, bordering Delhi, and anger at Jaypee's officials who villagers said had demolished a temple in Garhi Rami two days ago.
Farmers want increased financial compensation for land they say has been forcibly taken away from them to build the Expressway.The Yamuna Expressway, when it is built, is set to cut travelling time from Greater Noida to the Taj Mahal town of Agra to just about 90 minutes. Company officials say the project would be complete before November-end. Meanwhile, the death toll in farmer protests in Bhatta Parsaol in Greater Noida Saturday has risen to four. They are two farmers and two policemen.
The fourth victim was identified as a farmer who succumbed to his bullet injuries in Kailash Hospital in Greater Noida. The deceased policemen were identified as Manohar Singh and Manveer Singh. The other dead farmer was Hari Om.
Under attack from the opposition for the violence, the Uttar Pradesh government has transferred Surya Pratap Singh as the Senior Superintendent of Police of Noida. Rajiv Sabrawal has taken charge of the Greater Noida district, police sources said. Police have announced a reward of Rs.50,000 for the arrest of farmer leader Manvir Singh Teotia who is being blamed for for Saturday's clashes.
Police officers said that Teotia hailed from Bulandshahr district and did not own any farm land in the village and had not been victimised in any manner. But he registered his presence at every farmer protests in Tappal, Mathura and now Bhatta Parsaul. Fifteen people were also critically injured Saturday in the clashes between farmers and security forces.
The district magistrate of Gautam Budh Nagar, Deepak Agrawal, was shot at. Agrawal has been admitted to Kailash Hospital in Greater Noida, said Sub Division Magistrate Vishal Singh. The otherwise peaceful protests by farmers took a violent turn when the police tried to rescue three Uttar Pradesh Roadways employees from farmers who had taken them hostage. The hostages escaped. But this happened only after firing between the outnumbered security forces and farmers, who aimed their guns from rooftops.
A police officer accused Teotia of derailing all attempts by the district administration to settle what he described as the peace accord between the farmers and the government. The All India Kisan Sabha has condemned "the police brutalities in Bhatta Parsaul village against the farmers protesting against unjust land acquisition".
"The farmers ... have been seeking adequate compensation for the land acquired, rehabilitation and resettlement. However, the state government has been indifferent to their demands and resorting to selling land acquired on the pretext of industrialisation to private builders for real estate purposes," it said.
Political protest
BJP on Sunday said it would observe black day " in Uttar Pradesh today to protest the police crackdown on farmers in Greater Noida and demanded that immediate talks be held with the agitating peasants to address their genuine grievances. "Black day would be observed at all district headquarters from Greater Noida to Agra to protest against use of brutal force by State Government to suppress the agitation and against its dictatorial approach and anti-farmer policies," state BJP chief Surya Pratap Shahi said in a statement. Calling it a "Hitler like approach" by the state government, Shahi said party leaders and workers would wear black badges to protest against the state government. The party further demanded a magisterial inquiry into the use of force against the protesting farmers of Bhatta Parsaul village in Greater Noida. "BJP urges the state government to immediately hold talks with farmers and address their genuine grievances, provide compensation to the kith and kin of farmers killed in police action and hold a magisterial inquiry into use of force against peacefully agitating farmers," Shahi said. Farmers in Greater Noida and Agra have been protesting against forcible acquisition of their farmlands by the State Government. BJP further said State Government has "deliberately conspired" to suppress the agitation by using "brute force against the farmers". "Instead of talking to them, the State Government has resorted to bullets and lathis against people who do not agree with its dictates related to land acquisition. The State Government wants to even deny farmers' the right to raise their demands and protest against use of excessive force by police," Party said in the statement. Earlier in the day, a delegation led by BJP President Nitin Gadkari met the farmers injured in police action at a Noida hospital.
Demand
The farmers have been agitating since January 2011 demanding higher compensation for their lands acquired by the state government. Their demand is that only half their lands should be acquired, while the rest should be handed over to the farmers after development. They also want 25 percent reservation for farmers in all schemes of Noida, Greater Noida and Yamuna Expressway. Apart from this, the farmers have also been demanding for the authorities to give 120 square metre plots to landless farmers and a compensation of Rs. 5, 00,000 for each acre of acquired land.
ADVERTISEMENT
Subscribe today by clicking the link and stay updated with the latest news!" Click here!
