Rahul’s visit a drama: BSP

At the Centre,the Congress ruled for the longest period but did not care to frame a national policy on land acquistion,the statement said. The party said if the UPA government failed to table a Bill for a national policy on land acquisition in the monsoon session of Parliament,the BSP would stall proceedings. “But the BSP would extend full cooperation if the Congress party and its ‘Yuvaraj’ take an initiative to formulate a new land acquisition policy in the monsoon session of Parliament,” the release said.

The party alleged that “anarchist elements” involved in the violence at Bhatta-Parsaul in early May enjoyed Congress support. Villagers of Bhatta-Parsaul do not want politics in the name of their village and they had submitted an application to this effect to the administration,the statement said and appealed to other villages not to be misled by the Congress.

Not a political agenda: Digvijaya

Reacting to the Opposition’s criticism of Rahul Gandhi’s padayatra in Greater Noida,AICC general secretary Digvijaya Singh on Tuesday clarified that the Congress scion is walking with farmers only to know about the real issues and is not on any political agenda. Singh said there are no Congress workers or Congress flags along with Rahul Gandhi in his yatra. He also appealed to farmers of Uttar Pradesh to join Rahul in the Kisan Mahapanchayat in Aligarh on July 9. “He is walking hand-in-hand with the farmers in mud to know about the real issues affecting farmers. There are no Congress volunteers or Congress flags with him.” said Singh.

“The state government did not agree to our demand for a judicial inquiry into the Bhatta-Parsaul incident,they did not allow us to hold a mahapanchayat there. Rahul Gandhi is going to different villages to know the opinion of farmers about the new land acquisition policy and seek information about the amendments that they want in the existing policy,” he said. Singh said the party has decided to construct a separate dais for farmers’ organisations during the mahapanchayat,which will not have any Congress flags or posters.