Farmers’ stir: Violence in Agra, toll rises in Noida

A combo picture of farmers protesting against land acquisition policy of Yamuna Expressway Industrial Authority in Bhatta Parsol village, Greater Noida. (File Photo)
 
Agra, May 8 (Agencies): Farmers’ unrest over land acquisition on Sunday spread to Agra, where protesters clashed with police and torched vehicles, even as the toll in Greater Noida violence climbed to four while UP police announced a reward for arrest of a farmer leader for allegedly inciting the agitators. Four policemen were injured in Chaugaan village in Agra when farmers turned violent and clashed with police demanding higher compensation for their land acquired for Yamuna Expressway.
“Four policemen were injured when farmers turned violent during a protest and indulged into arson,” Special Director General of Police (Law and Order) Brij Lal said in Lucknow, adding irate villagers torched several vehicles and tents at the construction site. A protester, identified as Kalu, injured in Saturday’s clashes between police and farmers at Bhatta Parsaul village in Gautam Buddha Nagar district, a Delhi suburb, died, taking the toll to four in the violence. Authorities have turned the village into a fortress and prohibitory orders under Section 144 CrPC have been clamped in the district.
Two policemen -- Manvir Singh and Manohar Singh – and a farmer Rajveer were killed yesterday in clashes that erupted after police swooped on the village to rescue three roadways employees held hostage by the farmers since Friday demanding better compensation for the land acquired by the state government. UP police announced a reward of Rs 50,000 for arrest of Manvir Singh Tevatia, who is leading the farmers’ agitation at Bhatta Parsaul since January 17. “Tevatia along with around 50 men has been instigating the innocent farmers. 99 per cent farmers are satisfied with the new rehabilitation policy of the state,” Lal, who visited the village to take stock of situation last night, said.
“A person, who was undergoing treatment at the hospital, died taking the toll to four,” Lal said. Area around the village has been sealed off by the Provincial Armed Constabulary and the dharna site made out of bounds. The DGP had on Saturday said that 15 to 20 people have been arrested after the violence. Police sources claimed that most protesters have gone into hiding. Villagers alleged that personnel of Provincial Armed Constabulary misbehaved and ransacked houses, a charge denied by the force. The situation remained tense in the village, where farmers torched private vehicles and a bus last night. District Magistrate Deepak Aggarwal, who suffered a bullet wound in his leg, and SSP SN Singh, who was also injured along with scores of others, were recuperating. Their condition was stable, officials said.
There were reports of the state government considering transfer of some senior police officers but district police were tight-lipped on the issue. Condemning the police action on agitating farmers, senior BJP leader Arun Jaitley today said there was need to talk to farmers and find out a solution. “We condemn the behaviour of the UP police and the government. The answer to farmers’ demands is not police firing,” he said. RLD chief Ajit Singh, who was not allowed to visit the agitation spot and detained by the police, said the action by the district administration was regrettable. “That is a very sad thing, very regrettable .... we have full sympathy with those who died,” he said.
“After what happened in Bhatta Parsaul village, we just wanted to go their and pacify people, listen to their problems, establish a dialogue with the farmers,” he said. Singh, who was detained by the police, said the problem has arisen as Chief Minister Mayawati was unwilling to listen to the problems faced by farmers. “People are fed up as their land is being taken over in the name of expressway and given to builders and industrialists, he said, adding the compensation given to farmers was inadequate. Meanwhile, RLD state chief Baba Hardev Singh demanded a probe by a sitting Supreme Court judge into the clashes. “The Uttar Pradesh government has been acquiring the farmers’ land without their consent and without fixing the rate of land,” he said in Ghaziabad.
 
‘Mayawati govt hand in glove with land mafia’

New Delhi, may 8 (Agencies):
JD-U chief Sharad Yadav accused the Mayawati government in Uttar Pradesh of being “hand in glove with the land mafia” and demanded that the government should stop land acquisition till Parliament enacts a new law on it. Against the backdrop of farmers’ unrest in Greater Noida, he said, “Not just in Noida, there is a nationwide resentment among farmers against the land acquisition, which is carried out on the basis of an outdated act.”
“I demand a new act during the next session of Parliament and till then, all kinds of land acquisition should be stopped,” Yadav told reporters here. The NDA convenor also warned that the way agricultural land was being acquired, it would soon threaten the country’s food security if not checked. “It is a matter of grave concern that 27 lakh hectare of agricultural land has been acquired in the last 11 years. If it is not checked, another 27 lakh hectares may be acquired within the next 3 years, threating our food security,” he said.
Yadav made a strong demand for a CBI inquiry into the Noida violence which left two farmers and as many policemen dead. did not rule out the possibility of involvement of a real estate group having high stakes in the Yamuna Expressway in the incident. Yadav also came down heavily against the Mayawati government, accusing it of being “hand in glove with the land mafia” in the state. “The UP government is trying to acquire land from poor farmers and selling them at much higher prices,” he added.