VP lashes out at Mulayam over Dadri power project

Lucknow, Aug 4 (UNI) Former prime minister Vishwanath Pratap Singh today slammed the Uttar Pradesh government for ''toeing'' the lines of industrialists.

''I agree I have never ploughed a field... At least, I do not plough the fields for industrialists,'' he said referring to the chief minister Mulayam Singh Yadav's remarks it would be ''interesting to watch the former Prime Minister plough the fields'' to protest the acquition of land from farmers for the Dadri power project.

Mr Singh also wondered how the farmers would plough the fields since their cultivable land had been acquired for the proposed project. ''I can tell you, there are no plans for the project. The land was taken over to develop real estate for Reliance,'' added suspended SP Rajya Sabha MP and Jan Morcha leader Raj Babbar.

''I have a letter from Reliance Energy. The company wants to export most of the power it plans to produce. If I am wrong in my assessment then the CM should deny my allegation,'' Mr Singh asserted.

He also asked the Congress and BJP to explain whether it was necessary for governments to acquire land for such projects. ''It is a free market. Industrialists should approach farmers for land. The government should step in only to remove final glitches,'' he opined.

The former UP chief minister also slammed Amar Singh-led UP Development Council. ''Farmers' interests are not in its agenda...it works only in favour of industrial houses,'' he said.

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