A year before Assembly elections, the political battle over land acquisition is heating up in Uttar Pradesh. Chief Minister Mayawati is now cracking the whip on the opposition, saying it has been stoking the unrest that has already seen the death of four people in the last 48 hours.
Senior BJP leader Rajnath Singh as well Samajwadi Party leader Shivpal Yadav, who is also the Leader of Opposition in the state Assembly, have been taken into preventive custody as they headed to the protest epicentre in Greater Noida on Monday.
Yadav was taken into custody on the Delhi-Noida Expressway while Singh has been taken into protective custody while he was trying to enter Noida to join the protests.
Holding the Mayawati government responsible for the stir, Shivpal Yadav said, "The farmers had valid demands to make, and the present government did not even bother to look into their demands, rather they got into a violent situation. It's time now, that the present UP government should step down."
The protests which broke out on Saturday have spread to parts of Agra, Aligarh-Tappal and Mathura and have already left two policemen and two farmers dead along with many injured.
Rajnath Singh said his party will raise the issue in Parliament.
The Mayawati government maintains that the agitation has nothing to do with land acquisition. Cabinet Secretary Shashank Shekhar said, "All this violence in Greater Noida is not because of land acquisitions, it is a misconception."
However, SP State Chief Unit Akhilesh Yadav had on Sunday said, "This government is only encouraging the farmers to go to such situations. I think whatever is happening in Greater Noida and other cities is due to the present government. The Chief Minister and her ministers are responsible for the violence which is leading to deaths."
He said that the farmers demands are valid and they should not be encouraged to get into a violent situation.
The farmers agitation spread from Greater Noida to Aligarh and Agra in Uttar Pradesh on Sunday. Four policemen were injured in Agra on Sunday when agitating farmers clashed with police and torched vehicles in Chaugaan village.
Reward on information on man leading the protestsUttar Pradesh government has blamed farmer leader Manvir Singh Teotia for the violence in Bhatta Parsaul, Tappal and Mathura. The state government has announced a reward of Rs 50,000 to anyone who provides information on Teotia whereabouts.
He hails from Bulandshahar and has the support of some political parties including the Samajwadi Party and the Rashtriya Lok Dal.
Although he does not own any land in Greater Noida yet he has been claiming that he is also a victim.
The police also announced a reward of Rs 15,000 on other criminals involved in the ruckus.
