Ashamed to be an Indian, Rahul tells agitating farmers
May 11th, 2011 - 10:56 pm ICT by IANS
Greater Noida, May 11 (IANS) Congress general secretary Rahul Gandhi Wednesday slammed the police action against farmers agitating for higher compensation for their land and said he was feeling “ashamed to be an Indian” after seeing how the Uttar Pradesh government moved against its own people.
Gandhi, who reached Bhatta Parsaul village in Greater Noida in the wee hours Wednesday giving police the slip, said his party will stand along with farmers till they get justice.
Gandhi said he had been with the farmers for over 12 hours and had seen injustice with his own eyes.
“I have seen the violence unleashed on your youth and women. By seeing what has happened here, I feel ashamed to be an Indian. The state government is tormenting its own people,” Gandhi said.
Bhatta Parsaul has turned into a political battleground for parties after four people, including two policemen, were killed in Saturday’s clashes between police and farmers. The opposition has flayed the Uttar Pradesh government for its land acquisition policy.
Villagers told Gandhi of “brutality” of police and its “manhandling of people” in the name of search.
He said villagers were not giving any threat to the government but only fighting for their rights.
“Till the time your work is completed, the Congress party will not go from here,” Gandhi told villagers.
“I have come here to stand by you.”
Farmers in Greater Noida and adjoining areas are demanding more compensation from the Mayawati government for their land.
The Congress said Gandhi had gone to the villages to understand the issues of farmers.
“I don’t think any other opposition leader will take trouble to understand problems of farmers like this,” party spokesperson Jayanthi Natarajan said.
She said Gandhi had stated that land being taken for private use should get market rate.
The Congress had earlier sought a judicial probe into the violence involving farmers and said the amended Land Acquisition Bill should be passed by parliament at the earliest.
The party even made a veiled comparison to the situation in Greater Noida with the agitations against land acquisition in Nandigram and Singur in West Bengal and said development cannot be carried forward till people are involved.
- Will continue crusade to get farmers justice: Congress - May 17, 2011
- I am with you, Rahul tells farmers in Mayawati land (Second Lead) - Jul 05, 2011
- Campaign to spread across Uttar Pradesh: Rahul Gandhi - May 18, 2011
- Mayawati slams opposition, says Rahul is helpless - May 12, 2011
- BJP slams Rahul Gandhi's Greater Noida visit - May 11, 2011
- From Bhatta-Parsaul, Rahul leads campaign against Mayawati (Roundup) - Jul 05, 2011
- PM announces aid, Pilot tries to enter Bhatta-Parsaul (Third Lead) - May 22, 2011
- Rahul joins farmers' stir, says ashamed to be Indian (Roundup) - May 11, 2011
- Rahul springs surprise, in Mayawati land again (Lead) - Jul 05, 2011
- Congress defends Rahul's visit to farmers' village - May 11, 2011
- Rahul's march to get feedback on land policy: Digvijay - Jul 05, 2011
- From Bhatta Parsaul, Rahul takes forward campaign against Mayawati (Intro Roundup) - Jul 05, 2011
- Why is Mayawati government averse to CBI probe: Congress (Lead) - May 17, 2011
- Rahul Gandhi detained in Uttar Pradesh village - May 12, 2011
- Rahul in Mayawati land again, visits Bhatta Parsaul - Jul 05, 2011
Tags: acquisition policy, brutality, clashes, congress party, farmers, general secretary, injustice, jayanthi, judicial probe, land acquisition, opposition leader, own eyes, party spokesperson, police action, policemen, political battleground, rahul gandhi, state government, uttar pradesh government, wee hours