Mayawati woos farmers with new land policy
Lucknow, June 2 (IANS) Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati Thursday announced a new land acquisition policy that would take farmers' views into consideration and trained the guns on the central government, saying it had ignored the state's demands.
She said this after a meeting with farmers from Bhatta-Parsaul villages of Greater Noida that have seen violence over land acquisition.
“For the first time in the history of the country we have taken the views of the farmers into consideration after direct interactions with them. The new land acquisition policy will be implemented from today,” Mayawati said at a press conference here.
She also said her party would raise the issue of bringing a better land acquisition policy in the monsoon session of parliament.
“I have written to the central government for making a comprehensive policy for land acquisition, but it is a pity that despite writing to them many times, the centre has not paid attention to the issue,” she said.
"So we have decided that the matter will be taken up in parliament in the monsoon session so that such legislation can be brought,” she said adding, “We will also 'gherao' the parliament”.
She also attacked the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) indirectly, accusing it of using the issue for political mileage in Uttar Pradesh, instead of demanding a more effective land acquisition bill.
“Some political parties, instead of raising their voice to implement a more effective land acquisition policy, are raising the issue for doing politics in Uttar Pradesh,” she said.
The Mayawati government in the state has been under attack after violence between farmers and the administration over land acquisition in Bhatta-Parsaul villages May 7 resulted in the deaths of four people, including two policemen.