CPI(ML) demands white paper on Reliance power project

Lucknow, July 9 (UNI) Uttar Pradesh unit of CPI(ML) today criticised the Mulayam Singh Yadav government for ''police atrocities'' on 'farmers and their family' in Dadri and demanded a 'white paper' on the 'controversial' Reliance power project.

CPI(ML) state unit secretary Akhilendra Pratap Singh, who was present at the Bhejra Khurd village alongwith Peoples' Democratic Front (PDF) general secretary Nihaluddin and PDF member Salauddin yesterday, said several farmers and their family members were injured in the ''police atrocities".

''The police did not spare even the infant and women and several of them were injured in the police attack,'' Mr Singh told reporters here.

Demanding adequate compensation for the victims, he said only a white paper by the government would bring out the ''illegal'' method adopted by UP government to hand over 2,500 acres land to Reliance at Dadri for the power project.

He said against the CM's announcement of Rs 3.20 lakh per 'bigha' compensation to farmers, the government had distributed Rs 1.51 lakh per 'bigha', which led to resentment among them. Besides, 40 per cent of the farmers are yet to get their compensation, he added.

Announcing that left parties in association with Jan Morcha, PDF and other 'democratic' parties would launch a massive agitation against ''undemocratic attitude'' of the Mulayam government he said, ''We will not allow UP to harrass 'innocent' farmers in the name of providing sops to industrialists.'' ''It is unfortunate that the state government is working as a broker for Reliance,'' he alleged.

The CPI(ML) leader also criticised the state government over the alleged murder of a party leader in Sitapur yesterday.

UNI MB VS PA BST1818