BJP condemns arrest of Rajnath Singh by UP police

New Delhi, Aug 14 (UNI) The BJP today strongly condemned the arrest of its president Rajnath Singh who was trying to visit the victims of Greater Noida police firing near Delhi-UP border today.

In a statement, the party said Mr Singh wanted to visit the victims in the hospital and not Ghori-Bechera village, the trouble spot which saw the killing of eight protesting farmers and two policemen.

''The arrest is undemocratic and was part of intimidatory tactics employed by Bahujan Samaj Party leader Mayawati,'' the party said. The BJP president constituted a five-member party panel under the chairmanship of former UP Minister Hukum Singh.

The party also vowed not to allow Mayawati to trample the farmers' rights and extend support to their rightful demands.

Seeking the whole incident to be inquired by a sitting judge, Mr Rajnath Singh said the families of the victims should get appropriate compensation for the land acquired. Fertile lands should not be taken for private purposes and no land should be taken away without the farmers' consent.

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