Bhatta Parsaul farmers lose faith in Rahul, join Anna

New Delhi, Aug 18: The farmers of Bhatta-Parsaul, who once walked with AICC General Secretary Rahul Gandhi over the land acquisition issue, have now flip-flopped and decided to walk to Delhi on Oct 18 after "Anna"s call has struck a chord" with them.

Despite prohibitory orders, the farmers were a part of four-day padayatra with Rahul Gandhi. After Anna Hazare started his crusade against anti-corruption, the farmers inspired by him have decided to fight for their rights.

“Anna"s call has struck a chord with us.

"The Centre keeps postponing the land acquisition law, the UP government hounds us, and our brethren are being killed in Pune.

"Who is responsible? Does Rahul Gandhi really bother about anything beyond electoral gains?" asked Ajay Pal Sharma, member, Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU).

“Nothing changed for farmers after Gandhi"s visit to Bhatta-Parsaul. He visited the villages with an eye on the upcoming assembly elections. What did we get? Politicians have reduced us to a joke. Anna"s movement is against corruption and we fully support it," said Raju Mallick, spokesperson for BKU.

“Anna has shown the way. Look what the governments are doing. Rahul came once and went away. Now the police come daily and harass us. We pleaded with him to ensure the cases are withdrawn. But nothing happened," said another member of BKU.

OneIndia News