Rahul demands compensation for farmers: ‘Land acquired in Amethi without following proper procedure’

The issue, according to the memorandum, relates to Kathora village in Jagdishpur area of Amethi, which falls on National Highway-56 that connects Lucknow and Varanasi through Sultanpur and Amethi. The NHAI had allegedly started demolishing shops, houses and even temples without giving enough time and compensation to the owners, the memorandum said.

It further claimed that since 1994, many of these occupants were living there with permission from Uttar Pradesh State Industrial Development Authority after paying the necessary amount. The memorandum stated that the land was being acquired to develop a lane for trucks to ply.

Rahul asked the officials to either stop the demolition work till the occupants are paid proper compensation or shift the lane from the inhabited areas.

“Main zameen ki ladayi kafi samay se lad raha hoon…Bhatta Parsaul ke time se lad raha hoon (I have been fighting for the cause of farmers’ land since long…since Bhatta Parsaul issue (in 2011). Our bill related to land acquisition, which (Prime Minister) Modi ji tried to stop, was to protect the farmers. It was the backbone. It is on the basis of the same (bill) that the work is being undertaken today. I hope that the authorities will deal with this issue properly,” Rahul said.

The Congress vice president said that land is being acquired “without following proper procedure” across the state as well as in Amethi and NHAI officers have promised to personally look into the issue by visiting the site.

Rajiv Agarwal, who heads NHAI in the state, said, “As an MP from Amethi, he came here to raise the issue of shopkeepers and others along the Lucknow-Sultanpur road asking us to avoid as many inhabited areas as possible. We will visit the place and do the technical inquiry.”

Meanwhile, the BJP accused Gandhi of instigating farmers for petty political gains. “Rahul Gandhi is instigating farmers for petty political gains. If he had any morality he would have first returned the land of poor farmers of Amethi that was taken for setting up a bicycle unit but which ultimately went to a trust,” state unit spokesman Shalabhmani Tripathi said.

The BJP spokesman claimed the issue on which Gandhi registered his protest Tuesday had in fact has been pending since the days of the UPA government, which instead of solving had further complicated it.