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 ‘Kisan Sangharsh rally’ in Chief Minister Mayawati’s native village to protest against the “coercive” acquisition of land by the BSP supremo.

“This is the tyranny of the Mayawati Government. We were just going to express our solidarity with all those who have lost their land,” said Pilot. “The Congress objects to the forceful sale of farmers’ land at a very low price at a time when market prices are soaring. How can a Government force people to sell their lands,” 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. “While 20 bighas are registered in her name, another 20 bighas are registered in her father’s name,” 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. “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,” said Pilot. “It is unjustified as the land has been forcefully acquired by the state Government.”

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.