Arson, stir in UP’S Unnao over land acquisition
KANPUR/LUCKNOW: The storage yard of a state infrastructure authority was set on fire in Unnao on Sunday, a day after farmers demanding adequate compensation for their land acquired for a proposed township clashed with police, officials familiar with the matter said.
Police said the Uttar Pradesh State Industrial Development Authority (UPSIDA), which acquired the land for the Transganga City project, suffered losses running into lakhs in Sunday’s arson. Stating that no casualties were reported in the incident, Unnao additional district Magistrate Rakesh Singh said: “No one will be allowed to disturb law and order. Action will be initiated against those who set the portion of the godown on fire.” He added that no farmers’ group had so far claimed responsibility.
On Saturday, protesting farmers and police clashed when government officials visited the project site. Police officials said they were forced to baton charge and use tear gas shells to quell the mob that pelted them with stones. Five people have been arrested.
The Rashtriya Kisan Manch (RKM), a farmers’ body, said the protesters did not indulge in any violence. “The farmers are not indulging in violent protests and are only demanding adequate compensation for their land. Is their demand unjustified?” RKM president Shekhar Dixit said.
Opposition parties accused the Yogi Adityanath-led Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government of ignoring farmers’ demands. Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav said: “The government and the police attempted to suppress the voice of farmers who were raising their just demands.”
Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra shared a video of Saturday’s clash on Twitter and said: “Can UP CM only deliver flowery speeches on farmers? Under the BJP government, farmers are subjected to humiliation. Farmers demanding compensation for their land were beaten up mercilessly by police.”
The state government, however, maintained that the farmers were duly compensated. “Nearly 1,925 farmers out of 2,039 have been compensated. Only 114 are left, as their division of land is pending in court,” said UP BJP spokesperson Manish Shukla.