VP charges Mulayam with selling farmers' land

Ballia, Apr 9 (UNI) Former prime minister V P Singh today charged the Mulayam Singh Yadav government in Uttar Pradesh with selling land belonging to farmers at throwaway prices.

The Kisan Manch president Mr Singh, addressing the ''Gulami Chodo-Samaj Jodo'' rally here today said plans were afoot in the state to sell farmers' land edging road between Kanpur to Lucknow to capitalist forces at throwaway prices, but he would not let it happen ever.

Mr Singh said the Samajwadi Party-led government in the state had surrendered before the big business houses and was wreaking havoc with the lives of farmers in the guise of development.

The former Prime Minister further said that UP needed a Farmers Development Council instead of UP Development Council.

Mr Singh said an alternative political front comprising of RLD, CPI(ML), Apna Dal and other smaller parties was in the making to challenge the might of SP, BJP, BSP and Congress in UP. A 'Ghera Dalo Dera Dalo' movement will also be started for the cause of the public in Lucknow on April 30.

Shifting his guns to the UPA governmment at the Centre, Mr Singh alleged that it had destroyed the lives of agrarian class, best accentuated by the import of wheat from Australia at a rate of Rs 950 per quintal, despite superior quality wheat produced by country's farmers available in the market at the rate of Rs 650 per quintal.

Sharing the stage with Mr Singh, expelled SP MP and film actor Raj Babbar renewed his attack on SP general secretary Amar Singh, saying while the entire country was aware that he (Amar) was a 'fixer', UP Chief Minister and party president was oblivious of it.

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