BeyondHeadlines Staff Reporter
Lucknow: Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati today met farmers protesting for greater compensation for land and assured them that a new land acquisition policy would be introduced. Although she said that the new policy would come into effect from today, the new policy would not affect land acquisition in Bhatta-Parsaul.
The chief minister said the private players would have to directly acquire the land and that the government would only act as a facilitator. She further added that farmers would be given 16% of developed land.
Last month, farmers’ agitation at Bhatta Parsaul in Greater Noida had turned ugly with around 30 persons and 3 cops losing their lives.
Earlier, the BSP supremo charged Congress party over fuelling the agitation in Uttar Pradesh when she said, “The Congress was only responsible for the demonstrations by the peasantry.”
“We will raise the issue in Parliament for bringing uniform land acquisition policy,” Mayawati added while stating her strategy to resolve the land acquisition spat.
The Allahabad High Court on May 30 cancelled the 170 hectare land acquisition in Gulistanpur in Greater Noida. Earlier, 100 farmers approached the court seeking justice as the government “forcefully” grabbed the farm lands.
The Mayawati government reportedly acquired the land for private real estate developers. The High Court also asked the state government to pay for any monetary loss to any farmer.
However, the Supreme Court on the same day refused to entertain a petition seeking a CBI enquiry into the alleged excesses and violence unleashed by the Uttar Pradesh government on farmers protesting against “forcible” acquisition of land at Bhatta Parsaul.
Assembly elections are due in Uttar Pradesh in 2012.
