Farmers’ unrest: Rajnath, Jaitley arrested

Senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders Rajnath Singh and Arun Jaitley were arrested by Uttar Pradesh police at Ghaziabad while leading protesters on the farmers’ land compensation issue on Thursday.

Rajanth Singh had earlier started a day-long fast to protest the alleged high-handedness of the Mayawati government on the farmer of Greater Noida protesting land acquisition and low compensation.

“It was a peaceful dharna but Mayawati unleashed police action. We will continue to fight,” said BJP spokesperson Prakash Jawadekar.

He said both the Congress and Mayawati’s Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) were to be blamed for the situation and the protest by Rahul was allowed by Mayawati as a quid pro quo.

“Farmers were killed. We will continue to fight for their justice, take it to every nook and corner of the street. Land acquisition without proper compensation or reasons should be fought countrywide,” he said.

A competitive politics unfolded since Wednesday after Congress leader Rahul Gandhi reached the affected Bhatta Parsaul village in Greater Noida evading policemen. He was later arrested and released.

BJP joined the protest bandwagon with Rajnath Singh, a Uttar Pradesh leader, taking the lead.

Faced with an opposition protest in alliance with the angry farmers of Greater Nodia, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati on Thursday said the opposition is playing dirty politics and misleading the farmers and instigating violence for political gains.

“They are out to malign our image. But our paty [Bahujan Samaj Party] will overcome the slander campaign,” said Mayawati in a press conference here, claiming that the farmers were adequately compensated but the opposition is spreading rumours.

No land was forcibly taken, she said, referring to the protest which was sparked by the demand for adequate compensation from the farmers who turned violent and led to four deaths, including of two cops.

Rahul was arrested and later released by Uttar Pradesh police Thursday wee hours after day of high drama on Wednesday.