Sachin Pilot arrested on his way to Greater Noida, released

GREATER NOIDA, may 22 (PTI): Reviving the Bhatta-Parsaul farmers’ issue, Congress leader Sachin Pilot on Sunday visited protestors lodged in Dasna jail and was arrested on way to the violence-hit areas to meet families of those injured during the agitation over land acquisition. Pilot, Union minister of state for information technology, along with around 100 supporters, was arrested on National Highway 24 when his cavalcade left for Bhatta and Parsaul villages after he met those jailed during the farmers’ agitation demanding more compensation for their land.
The 34-year-old minister and his supporters were first taken to the police lines and later escorted to the UP-Delhi border at Noida before being released around 4:30pm. They were taken into custody at around 2:30pm under section 151 CrPC (arrest to prevent commission of cognisable offences). “I will brief the Prime Minister tonight when I meet him at the UPA dinner. We will not allow the UP government to forcefully acquire land. They should stop the land acquisition totally. The UP government should conduct a judicial inquiry and take the views of NCW and NHRC seriously,” Pilot told reporters after his release. He alleged that the Mayawati government in Uttar Pradesh is abusing its power and “killing people”.
“I was not allowed to enter even Gautam Budh Nagar. I was arrested in Ghaziabad. I told the police that I just want to meet the villagers of Bhatta-Parsaul but they did not allow,” Pilot said. On his visit to Dasna jail, where he was allowed inside with two of his supporters, Pilot said he met 22 villagers who have been booked “under as many as 14 sections” of IPC. Four persons, including two policemen, were killed on May 7 during the Bhatta-Parsaul agitation. “We want a judicial probe into the entire incident (at Bhatta-Parsaul). I was going to Bhatta-Parsaul to meet and console the families of the villagers. I was not breaking any law and my arrest is unjustified,” he said.
Congress general secretary Rahul Gandhi was arrested on the night of May 11 by the UP Police after he had slipped unnoticed in pre-dawn hours to the affected area in support of the farmers agitating against the state’s land acquisition process for an expressway project. Gandhi, who had spent nearly 19 hours at Bhatta-Parsaul, was arrested under Sec 151 CrPC and released later. Backing Gandhi’s claim of police atrocities on farmers in Greater Noida villages, the NCW has said complaints of molestation, stripping and rape of women as well as of people being burnt alive have come before it and has sought a CBI probe to “bring out the truth”. The UP government has, however, dismissed as baseless the allegations of burning of people and rape of women in Bhatta-Parsaul and said preliminary forensic reports of ashes collected from the area have ruled out presence of any human remains.
 
BJYM calls for probe into Rahul’s misleading claims
 
Dimapur, May 22 (MExN): MP and Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM) President Anurag Thakur has slammed Congress General Secretary Rahul Gandhi for making severe accusations of rape and murder, without proper evidence.  Accusing the Congress leader of indulging in these cheap tactics, Thakur said, “An independent and impartial probe should be conducted as to why Rahul made such statements.”
A press note issued to the media by Lima Longchar , president of Nagaland BJYM  stated that Thakur said that now damage control gimmicks by Gandhi and his party men are as cheap as the allegation.  Commenting upon the so called “youth icon” of Congress, Thakur also said, “This type of behavior is completely unwarranted. If the so called icon makes such irresponsible comments, what effect will it have on the youth of our country?” Thakur also added that this could have serious implications and could lead to bitterness between the State and the Centre. Misrepresentation of facts could lead to political polarization whereby the Congress leader would be responsible for social unrest and violence, he added. Rebuffing Rahul’s uncanny and eerie ways, Thakur said, “Mr. Gandhi has no right to tarnish the image of the State and the Country at large. He should not have defamed the women of the village by saying they were raped. He should have thoroughly checked facts before making such a big statement.”
The note further states that Thakur alleged Rahul of putting the image of the Country at stake for some purported heinous crimes. These allegations about the rape and mass murder are merely a farce. Commenting upon the politics played by the Congress leader, Thakur said that the Congress is trying to cash upon the situation and has set a party agenda for the upcoming assembly elections wherein their prime concern will be on issues related to the, plight of farmers, land acquisition and deplorable  governance by the BSP. Thakur further said, “Shri Gandhi has not spoken once in two years in Lok Sabha. After his speech on Kalavati two years back and championing her cause and gaining publicity, he vanished in thin air. If he is so sincere towards farmers, why didn’t he raise this issue of Bhatta Parsaul farmers in parliament rather than making such unpardonable charges? Seems that Rahul is hell bent on raising the land acquisition issues whenever elections are near.”
The note also stated that BJYM leader rued the swiftness shown by Central Government in hurrying its agency CFSL into lifting the “sample” from the site.  Describing the current face-off between Mayawati and Congress as a fixed match, BJYM appealed for an independent probe on the charges framed by Rahul. “There were atrocities in Bhatta Parsaul, but Rahul has insulted the women of that village.  He should refrain from such comments and make sure that such sensitive issues concerning women should be checked and cross checked thoroughly,” said Thakur. 
 
PM announces compensation for the injured

New Delhi, May 22 (PTI):
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Sunday announced a financial assistance of Rs. 50,000 to those seriously injured and Rs. 10,000 for people who suffered minor injuries during violence at Bhatta-Parsaul villages in Greater Noida recently. A statement issued by the Prime Minister’s office said the Prime Minister has announced the financial assistance for farmers and their family members injured during the recent incidents at Bhatta Parsaul and other areas in Gautam Budh Nagar district of Uttar Pradesh.
Farmers who were agitating for more compensation for their land from the State government were allegedly beaten up by Uttar Pradesh police after the crowd reportedly turned violent. One person was killed in the violence while the district collector and senior police officials were injured. The protests became a major political issue when Congress General Secretary Rahul Gandhi reached the spot last week and spent a day with the family members of the farmers. He was arrested late in the night but released after a few hours.
Gandhi and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati sparred over the issue with the former demanding more compensation while the BSP government maintained that Congress was playing politics over the issue. Former BJP President Rajnath Singh also tried to visit Bhatta-Parsaul but was not permitted. He later held a 24 hour fast in Ghaziabad to protest against the atrocities of the U.P. government and growing lawlessness in the State.