Kisan Sangharsh Samiti delegation arrives at Lucknow for meet

Lucknow, Aug 12 (UNI) A six-member delegation of the Kishan Sangharsh Samiti in Badalpur, the native village of Uttar Pradesh Chief minister Mayawati, today reached the state capital to have a meeting with the state officials over their 7-point charter of demands.

The Samiti team members, escorted by ruling Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) MLA Horam Singh, Satyaveer Singh and Surendra Singh Nagar, reached Lucknow by Shatabdi Express.

Sixty five years-old Prem Singh, a member of the Samiti, told mediapersons at the Charbagh railway station they have been called to Lucknow for talks with the officials.

''We have only suspended our agitation against the government and rest would be decided by the outcome of the meeting,'' he said.

Another young member Rupesh said they were very optimistic about the meeting and now the ball was in the government's court.

The Sangharsh Samiti was agitating on the low rate of compensation for their acquired land at Badalpur and other adjoining villages of Gautam Buddha Nagar district in the National Capital Region (NCR).

Congress UP president Rita Bahuguna Joshi and others were arrested twice for their support to the farmers and meeting the villagers at Badalpur, while the Samajwadi Party leaders were arrested and not allowed to enter Gautam Buddha Nagar district on Sunday when they were marching towards Badalpur.

The seven point charter of demands of the Kishan Sangharsh Samiti were; acquisition should be exempted of the land were boundary wall has been constructed, compensation should be given as per circle rate of the land plus bonus, after required acquisition remaining land should be free from any future acquisition, permission for commercial use of 25 per cent of the agriculture land left after acquisition, shops and houses on the sides of the GT Road should be exempted from acquisition, disposal of all the cases in the presence of Sangharsh Samiti members and officials should prepare revenue maps for identification of population.

On Sunday night, the UP government announced its willingness for dialogue with the delegation of the Sangharsh Samiti and had asked the Samiti to suspend its agitation.

An official release said Rs 110 crore has been paid to about 600 farmers for acquisition of their land, while officials were working to sort out the issue with another 100 farmers.

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