Varanasi: A day after Tuesday’s violent protest by farmers against the bid of Varanasi Development Authority (VDA), district administration and police to take possession of the land acquired for Transport Nagar project, leaders of several opposition parties on Wednesday joined the protesters who were holding a sit-in at Rajatalab tehsil headquarters under the banner of Mohansarai Kisan Sangharsh Samiti here on Wednesday.
The leaders from several political parties, including Congress’ Prayagraj provincial unit president Ajay Rai, Samajwadi Party’s former Chandauli MP Ramkishun Yadav and other leaders joined the protesters at their sit-in.
Moreover, Samiti patron Vinay Shankar Rai Munna had an heated argument with SDM Rajatalab, Girish Kumar Dwivedi, when the latter reached the stir venue. Rai demanded the official to stop the process of demarcation of land for taking possession by claiming that Allahabad High Court had issued a stay order against it by taking cognizance of the farmers’ plea on Wednesday.
Addressing a meeting at the site, several speakers including Ajay Rai, Ramkishun Yadav and others said that “they were standing with the farmers to protect their interest”. They also warned that any bid of forcibly taking possession of the farmers’ land would yield adverse results as agitation would be intensified across the state.
On Tuesday, farmers in Kannadadi and Baivan villages went on a rampage after a joint team of VDA, district administration and police reached there and started demarcation of land with JCB machines to take possession. When the angry mob of farmers indulged in brick-batting and injured many cops, the latter used force to disperse their gathering. A video of the incident went viral and leaders like SP supremo Akhilesh Yadav targeted the state government in a tweet.
VDA officials remained tight-lipped over Tuesday’s incident and later issued an official statement in the night, mentioning that 20 hectare land in Kannadadi had been made free from illegal encroachment.
The official release contained that notification for the Transport Nagar project had been issued in 2000 and 2001 and 90% affected farmers had taken compensation against acquisition of their land between 2008 and 2013. However, despite collecting compensation, many of them had not vacated the land and were continuing cultivation.
The VDA further stated that when a joint team of VDA, district administration and police reached Kanndadi to remove the illegal encroachment from acquired land, it was attacked and many VDA employees and policemen suffered injuries. An FIR was also lodged by VDA with Rohania police who detained several villagers.
The VDA, which sat on the files of the Transport Nagar project for years, also mentioned the benefits of the project in its statement. It said the project would decongest city roads, shift establishments of transport companies and UP State Road Transport Corporation depot from the city area and subsequently reduce crowding and pollution in the city and generate employment.
The leaders from several political parties, including Congress’ Prayagraj provincial unit president Ajay Rai, Samajwadi Party’s former Chandauli MP Ramkishun Yadav and other leaders joined the protesters at their sit-in.
Moreover, Samiti patron Vinay Shankar Rai Munna had an heated argument with SDM Rajatalab, Girish Kumar Dwivedi, when the latter reached the stir venue. Rai demanded the official to stop the process of demarcation of land for taking possession by claiming that Allahabad High Court had issued a stay order against it by taking cognizance of the farmers’ plea on Wednesday.
Addressing a meeting at the site, several speakers including Ajay Rai, Ramkishun Yadav and others said that “they were standing with the farmers to protect their interest”. They also warned that any bid of forcibly taking possession of the farmers’ land would yield adverse results as agitation would be intensified across the state.
On Tuesday, farmers in Kannadadi and Baivan villages went on a rampage after a joint team of VDA, district administration and police reached there and started demarcation of land with JCB machines to take possession. When the angry mob of farmers indulged in brick-batting and injured many cops, the latter used force to disperse their gathering. A video of the incident went viral and leaders like SP supremo Akhilesh Yadav targeted the state government in a tweet.
VDA officials remained tight-lipped over Tuesday’s incident and later issued an official statement in the night, mentioning that 20 hectare land in Kannadadi had been made free from illegal encroachment.
The official release contained that notification for the Transport Nagar project had been issued in 2000 and 2001 and 90% affected farmers had taken compensation against acquisition of their land between 2008 and 2013. However, despite collecting compensation, many of them had not vacated the land and were continuing cultivation.
The VDA further stated that when a joint team of VDA, district administration and police reached Kanndadi to remove the illegal encroachment from acquired land, it was attacked and many VDA employees and policemen suffered injuries. An FIR was also lodged by VDA with Rohania police who detained several villagers.
The VDA, which sat on the files of the Transport Nagar project for years, also mentioned the benefits of the project in its statement. It said the project would decongest city roads, shift establishments of transport companies and UP State Road Transport Corporation depot from the city area and subsequently reduce crowding and pollution in the city and generate employment.