New Delhi:
Across Uttar Pradesh, farmers backed by political parties happy to help out, made their anger known to the Mayawati government. In parts of Aligarh and Mathura, trains were stopped, causing delays of two-hours, as passengers sweated it out.
The issue is how much farmers are being paid for nearly 500 hectares of land that is being taken from them by the UP government for the Noida-Agra Yamuna Expressway. The current rate is Rs 580 per square meter; farmers want Rs 870.
In Delhi, Rahul Gandhi -the Congress' centrifugal force in UP -took the battle straight to the Prime Minister. "Land acquisition is a very important issue. What happened in Aligarh is very unfair. We need to have a view on it," Gandhi told reporters as he met Doctor Manmohan Singh.
The PM reportedly assured Gandhi that the pending Land Acquisition Amendment Bill will be introduced in the next session of Parliament.
Gandhi took both the Mayawati government and Aligarh farmers by surprise on Saturday when he reached Tappal village, the epicentre of the protests that have been building up over the last week.
On Thursday, UP farmers are expected to march into Delhi in an attempt to protest outside Parliament. The Delhi police is prepping for major jams. HYPERLINK TO THE PTI STORY ON JAMS
The Land Acquisition (Amendment) Bill, 2007, which seeks to bring changes in the Land Acquisition Act, 1994, is reportedly opposed by Railway Minister Mamta Banerjee who heads the Trinamool Congress, and is a key UPA ally.
The Bill redefines 'public purpose' as land acquired for defence purposes, infrastructure projects or for any project useful to the general public.
While determining compensation, the intended use of the land and the market rate of the land has to be considered.
Asked about Banerjee's opposition to the Bill, Congress leader Digvijay Singh, who was with Gandhi at the PM's meeting, said "When a way can be found out on the issue of nuclear bill through discussion, why can't this be done? The issue can be discussed with Mamata Banerjee."
With PTI inputs