Congress to spearhead farmers agitation in Mayawati's village

New Delhi, July 28 (UNI) The Uttar Pradesh Congress Committee will organise a "Kisan Sangharsh" rally at Badalpur, the native village of Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati, tomorrow in protest against the 'coercive acquisition' of land belonging to thousands of farmers.

Mr Digvijay Singh, AICC General Secretary in charge of party affairs in UP, UPCC President Rita Bahuguna Joshi, Congress MP Sachin Pilot and office bearers of the Gautambudhnagar District Congress Committee will attend the rally, AICC Spokesman Manish Tewari told mediapersons.

He said according to revenue records, Ms Mayawati had constructed a palatial bungalow on an area of 47 bighas in her native village.

The bungalow was enclosed by high-security walls.

Of these 47 bighas, 20 bighas were registered in the name of Ms Mayawati and the remaining 20 in the name of her father Prabhu Das."But they were in actual possession of 52 bighas and another 50 bighas through benami transfers," he alleged.

On June 30 this year, the notices for land acquisition had been issued to acquire 230.554 hectares of land in Badalpur and 142.160 hectares in Saadupur adjacent to it.

Similarly, the process for issuing similar notices to acquire land in two other adjacent villages Acheja and Bisnaula were also underway.

"The objective of this land acquisition is to create a picnic spot and make Badalpur a tourist destination," he said, and added that the land acquisition would uproot 2,500 families in these four villages.

Mr Tewari said the district administration, in its quest to please Ms Mayawati, had been dismissive of the objections and protests launched by the farmers.

"It is pressurising them to accept compensation at a meagre rate of Rs 711 per square yard or Rs 850 per square metre. The government declared circle rate was Rs 850 per square metre and market rate was between Rs 4,500 to Rs 5,000 per square metre.

"We endorse the kisans' demand that they should be paid compensation at this rate, and all their claims be properly settled before the government moves in to acquire their land and deprives them of their homes and means of livelihood," Mr Tewari said.

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