Rahul, agitating farmers to meet PM
Farmers are agitating for higher compensation for land taken for constructing the 156-km Yamuna Expressway. The agitation against land acquisition has taken a political colour with opposition parties accusing Chief Minister Mayawat's government of harassing farmers.
Congress general secretary Rahul Gandhi will meet Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and appraise him about farmers in Uttar Pradesh agitating for a better deal for their land acquired for an expressway.
Police and agitating farmers in Greater Noida, which falls in Gautam Budh Nagar district, fought a pitched battle on May 7 in which four people, including two policemen, were killed. The farmers are agitating for higher compensation for land taken for constructing the 156-km Yamuna Expressway that is to link New Delhi with Agra and reduce travel time by an hour.
Rahul, on May 11, visited visited Bhatta Parsaul village in Greater Noida that has seen violence by farmers over land acquisition. The Uttar Pradesh police briefly detained him and took him away from Bhatta Parsaul. TV news channels report Rahul will be accompanied by farmers in his meeting with the Prime Minister.
The agitation against land acquisition has taken a political colour with opposition parties accusing Chief Minister Mayawat's government of harassing farmers.