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A gross injustice to farmers: V.P. Singh

Ashok Kumar

Mukti Sangram Yatra flagged off

Photo: Sandeep Saxena

ALL EARS TO HIS GURU: Former Prime Minister V.P. Singh, along with Raj Babbar, at Jan Morcha's Mukti Sangram Abhiyan rally at Mossuri village in Ghazaibad district of Uttar Pradesh on Thursday.

GHAZIABAD (U.P.): Demanding immediate restoration of irrigation water supply to over 500 acres at Bejhra Khurd in Dadri in Uttar Pradesh that had been stopped following initiation of the land acquisition process for the Reliance mega power project, former Prime Minister Vishwanath Pratap Singh on Thursday threatened to launch a movement from December 12 against the infringement of farmers' rights.

"The stoppage of irrigation water supply to fertile land at Bejhra Khurd to benefit a few capitalists is gross injustice to the poor farmers. We seek immediate restoration of water supply or a movement would be launched on December 12," said Mr. Singh kicking off the fifth leg of his "Mukti Sangram Yatra'' at Masuri in Ghaziabad.

Mr. Singh said the land belonged to those who toiled on it and the Government had no right to negotiate the land deal on behalf of the landowners.

"Our aim is not just to change the regime but the very way things are done."

Promise to amend law

The former Prime Minister also promised to amend the land acquisition law in favour of the farmers, waive off loans to weavers and provide reservation to Muslims if the Jan Morcha was voted to power in the forthcoming assembly elections in the State.

Thanking the masses for assembling in impressive numbers and lending strength to the fight against exploitation of farmers, Jan Morcha president Raj Babbar said the present regime in the State was rendering people jobless by selling off fertile land to powerful industrialists at throw-away prices. "But farmers are now waking up and the movement against their exploitation at the hands of corrupt politicians that began at Dadri has now spread to other parts of the country," he added.

Jan Morcha general secretary Vinod Singh and several other workers were present at the meeting.

The present leg of the Mukti Sangram Yatra, passing through Hapur, Meerut, Muzaffarnagar, Saharanpur and Shamli would culminate at Loni on December 11. However the Yatra, originally launched at Dewaria on September 23, will finish at Dadri next year.

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