Dadri March: 600 including V P Singh arrested

Lucknow, Aug 17: Uttar Pradesh government today arrested former Prime Minister Vishwanath Pratap Singh, Agra MP Raj Babbar, CPI leader A B Bardhan along with 97 people at state border, while they were trying to enter UP for 'Dadri March' against the farmers' land transfer to Reliance energy for power plant.

''The arrests were made on a peaceful note and no use of force took place,'' UP principal secretary (Home) S K Agarwal and DGP Bua Singh told reporters here this evening.

Jan Morcha leaders had announced to stage a rally at the project site and demanded the land of farmers be given back.

This was part of their ongoing agitation against the proposed Reliance project alleging the farmers had been given raw deal, while favouring Anil Ambani.

Besides, about 500 arrests were made as precautionary measure from various places around Ghazibad district to prevent them from marching towards Bujera Khurd village near Dadri.

Mr Singh and Mr Babar, however, addressed a meeting about 50 metres away from UP inside the Delhi territory. ''They were not allowed to enter the UP limits,'' officers said.

The arrested leaders were kept in Vasundhara guest house only to be released later.

Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) leader Mahendra Singh Tikait along with his several supporters were arrested at Gajraula in Merrut district today while proceeding to take part in the March.

Mr Agarwal said the whole excercise was undertaken in pursuance to the Allahabad High Court order to maintain status quo at the project site.

Meanwhile, state CPI(ML) secretary Akhilendra Pratap Singh alleged in Lucknow that over 10,000 party activists en route to Dadri had been arrested.

UNI

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