The Hindu : National : V.P. Singh detained on Delhi-Noida border

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Wednesday, Jan 10, 2007
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V.P. Singh detained on Delhi-Noida border

Staff Reporter

He was proceeding to Sikandarabad to attend a protest rally

NEW DELHI: Former Prime Minister V. P. Singh was on Tuesday detained on the Delhi-Noida border while trying to proceed towards Sikandarabad to attend a protest rally against the Reliance Energy power project at Dadri in Uttar Pradesh.

The Ghaziabad district administration, under which Dadri falls, had on Monday informed Mr. Singh that he would not be allowed entry into the district because of the prohibitory orders imposed in view of the rally against the power project. Since Monday night, a large number of police personnel have been deployed at all the Delhi-Uttar Pradesh borders to ensure that Mr. Singh does not sneak into the State.

On Tuesday morning, when Mr. Singh tried to enter Uttar Pradesh via the Noida border, he was detained by the police and taken to a government guesthouse. Besides Indian Justice Party head Udit Raj, he was accompanied by a large number of his supporters who shouted slogans against the Samajwadi Party Government in the State.

Addressing the protesters, Mr. Singh said he along with his supporters would never allow construction work at the project site.

Criticising Chief Minister Mulayam Singh for forcibly taking land from the poor farmers to benefit industrialists and capitalists in his State, Mr. Singh said workers of Jan Morcha, who are spearheading the campaign against the power project, would court arrests across the State between January 30 and February 6.

The former Prime Minister said the struggle would continue till the affected farmers were paid proper compensation for their land.

He also demanded imposition of President's rule ahead of the Assembly elections in view of deteriorating law and order in the State.

Mr. Singh also refused to return to Delhi demanding immediate release Jan Morcha leader Raj Babbar who was detained at Mathura on Monday while proceeding towards Dadri.

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