Rahul revives land acquisition issue in UP

For the UP government,farmers’ protest against the acquisition of their land was merely a law and order issue. Notwithstanding the protests by farmers in Noida,Aligarh,Agra and Mathura against the acquisition of their fertile land for the Yamuna Expressway in last three years,the UP government was confident the issue has been diffused. But much to the chagrin of Mayawati,the Rahul’s visit to Parsaul on Wednesday has changed all that and the issue has been revived and has come as a big morale booster for the Congress.

Though the Congress protests on Thursday failed to make much impact on normal life in the state,the fact remains the Congress,out of power in UP since 1989,was able to organise statewide protest with turnout in almost all 72 districts.

The SP and the BJP are startled by the sudden revival of the land acquisition issue and emergence of the Congress on the forefront. Both the parties are busy rubbishing the impression the Rahul visit to Parsaul will bring any major change in the situation. The SP national spokesman Mohan Singh has said the Rahul visit was nothing but ‘nautanki’.

“Instead of staging drama at Parsaul,Rahul should take care of the farmers whose land had been acquired for the rail coach factory at Rai Bareli,” said BJP leader Vinay Katiyar.

“I would like to remind you the UP government was forced to announce the ‘Resettlement and Rehabilitation policy’ in September 2010 after Rahul’s Tappal visit,” said Jagdambika Pal,Congress MP.

Official sources said the Bhatta Parsaul incident may affect other projects too where the land acquisition is yet to be finalised.

The farmers leaders are,however,skeptical and do not expect major change.

“Rahul Gandhi had visited Tappal in August 2010 and had promised to get the Land Acquisition bill passed by the Parliament in the next session but nothing has happened so far,” said Vinod Singh,president of the Kisan Manch which spearheaded the successful campaign against the acquisition of 2,500 acres of land for the thermal power plant at Dadri by the Anil Dhirubhhai Ambani group.

Moreover he said “it’s too far fetched to believe the farmers will consider the Congress or Rahul Gandhi as their saviour. The Congress and the BSP are the two sides of the same coin,he said.

Rakesh Tikait of the Bhartiya Kisan Union said,“Farmers are no longer naïve. They also know the political parties are fighting for their electoral interests. We will judge the political parties by their stand in the Parliament on the Land Acquisition bill.”