RLD mobilises farmers for Delhi stir

The Rashtriya Lok Dal has started mobilising farmers for its proposed gherao of Parliament in Delhi on August 26 to demand a new land acquisition Act even as some more political parties on Sunday supported the agitation.

The Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) has started mobilising farmers for its proposed gherao of Parliament in Delhi on August 26 to demand a new land acquisition Act even as some more political parties on Sunday supported the agitation.

HT Image

The party on Sunday claimed that its call to lay seize to Parliament was evoking huge response from farmers. RLD chief Chaudhary Ajit Singh has asked the state leaders to contact farmers and their representatives in all the districts asking them to reach Delhi in a great number on August 26.

Party spokesman, Anil Dubey said not only farmers were readily supporting the proposed agitation but leaders of various political parties had also extended their support saying them would join hands with farmers laying seize to Parliament. "The Samajwadi Party (SP) and the Akali Dal on Sunday gave their consent to participate in the farmers' agitation," Dubey claimed. He said parties like the BJP, CPI, CPM, Lok Jan Shakti Party, Nationalist Congress and the Beju Janata Dal had already extended their support to the agitation.

A senior, RLD leader Munna Singh Chauhan said the Land Acquisition Act 1894 was enacted by the colonial government to suit its interests and it had no relevance in an Independent India.

"The Act has just become an easy tool in the hands of Mayawati government to exploit gullible farmers who are being forced to part with their land in the name of expressways.," he explained.

He said definition of public purpose in the Act was not clear and demanded the Centre to bring a new Act clearly defining what public purpose meant.
"
One does not understand how development of townships by any private builder will serve the public purpose," he said.