RLD condemns high-handedness to Fatehpur farmers

Lucknow, Feb 24 (UNI) After Uttar Pradesh main opposition Samajwadi Party (SP) and Congress, Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) has also swung into action against the alleged police high-handedness to Fatehpur farmers on Wednesday.

Denouncing the police action on the agitating farmers, RLD said ''the peasants were demanding relief measures synonymous with the drought-hit Bundelkhand, but the state police attacked them with batons.'' ''The farmers were peacefully demonstrating in favour of their demands, using police force on them is highly condemnable,'' RLD underlined.

The party further demanded retraction of fake cases against the farmers, besides releasing them.

Meanwhile, a seven-member team under the leadership of UP RLD president Ram Asrey Verma met the 30 farmers incarcerated in the Fatehpur district prison.

Earlier, Congress had also decided to send it's probe team led by former MLAs Bhudhar Narayan Mishra and Hafiz Mohammad to Fatehpur.

SP team under the leadership of MLC Ahmad Hassan had already visited the district.

On February 20, 25 persons, including 12 policemen, were wounded in a firing between police and farmers at the district court arena in Fatehpur.

The farmers led by their leader Narsingh Patel had been decrying the alleged 'step-motherly' treatment of the Uttar Pradesh and central government towards farmers in Doaba of Fatehpur, which was facing a similar situation like the drought-affected Bundelkhand.

On February 21, 30 farmers were arrested in this regard and sent to jail.

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