Cong protests against UP land acquisition

Congress leaders Digvijay Singh, Sachin Pilot and Rita Bahuguna Joshi were arrested by the Uttar Pradesh Police on Tuesday from near the Delhi-UP border while they were on their way to participate in a protest rally at Badalpur. The state Congress Committee had organised a 8216;Kisan Sangharsh rally8217; in Chief Minister Mayawati8217;s native village to protest against the 8220;coercive8221; acquisition of land by the BSP supremo.

8220;This is the tyranny of the Mayawati Government. We were just going to express our solidarity with all those who have lost their land,8221; said Pilot. 8220;The Congress objects to the forceful sale of farmers8217; land at a very low price at a time when market prices are soaring. How can a Government force people to sell their lands,8221; added Digvijay Singh. A large crowd of Congress supporters assembled near the border soon after the arrest, demanding the release of the leaders.

Congress leaders alleged that the BSP chief had constructed a palatial house in Badalpur, over an area of 47 bighas. 8220;While 20 bighas are registered in her name, another 20 bighas are registered in her father8217;s name,8221; sources said. Sachin Pilot claimed the Congress wanted to show solidarity with the farmers of Badalpur, as their lands have been acquired by the Government without properly compensating them. 8220;We wanted to reach out to the people who have been forced to give up their lands in return for peanuts. The so-called compensation is 1/20th of the market value of the land in the area,8221; said Pilot. 8220;It is unjustified as the land has been forcefully acquired by the state Government.8221;

SSP Noida, R K Chaturvedi, said the leaders were arrested under the provisions of Section 151 of the CrPC preventive action. The police later released them.