Accusing the Mayawati government of raining bullets on farmers instead of hearing them out, Congress general secretary Rahul Gandhi on Saturday said a Bill to amend the Land Acquisition Act, 1894 would soon be introduced in Parliament and the “views of farmers incorporated in it.” The new law would favour farmers and farm labourers.
“When the farmers demanded better compensation for their land acquired for the development process, they were fired upon by the police. The Uttar Pradesh government does not want to interact with them.”
The Amethi MP said that during his four-day padayatra, which covered three districts of western Uttar Pradesh, he had not come across a single farmer who was opposed to construction of roads and bridges. “All that they want is that compensation should be just and according to the market rate.”
Haryana model
Addressing a farmers' “mahapanchayat” on the Exhibition Ground here, Mr. Gandhi cited the Haryana model, while backing the farmers' stand on land acquisition. “The Haryana government goes to the farmers, who are told in advance about acquisition of land, but in Uttar Pradesh the government does not talk to the farmers and when they demand their rights they are fired upon, as has happened in Tappal and Bhatta-Parsaul.”
Mr. Gandhi said the farmers were angry because the rich in Lucknow and Delhi could sell their land at market rates, but when their land was acquired for building colonies, golf courses and racing tracks, the compensation was a pittance.
Mr. Gandhi took a swipe at the ruling Bahujan Samaj Party for describing his visit to villages as a “political drama,” and said the leaders should, instead, go to the people. “If the State government lent an ear to the farmers, there would be no incidents of police firing and lathi charge.”
He alleged that in Uttar Pradesh agricultural land was being acquired and handed over to builders.
On the new land acquisition policy of the State government, he said it was “full of flaws” and the “intention to benefit the farmers was missing.” As the policy was prospective, it would not cover land acquisitions made earlier. “Since no benefit would accrue to the farmers of Tappal and Bhatta-Parsaul, whose land had been acquired earlier, I have decided to go on a padayatra.”
