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Opposition walkout over farmers’ issue in U.P.

LUCKNOW: The entire Opposition walked out of the Uttar Pradesh Assembly on Monday in protest against the Mayawati Government’s refusal to withdraw criminal cases against farmers and release the farmers who were injured in the police firing and lathi charge in Fatehpur town of the State last week. Parliamentary Affairs Minister Lalji Verma’s assurance of an inquiry into the incident by the Allahabad Divisional Commissioner failed to convince the Opposition.

Earlier, the Question Hour was lost as the House was adjourned by the Speaker, Sukhdev Rajbhar, following protests by the Samajwadi Party MLAs who stormed into the well of the House. The issue was raised by the SP and the BJP through separate notices on the police action against the farmers who were sitting on a dharna at the Fatehpur District Collectorate on February 20.

Raising the issue during Zero Hour, Naresh Agarwal of the SP said the dharna by the farmers of Jamuna ki Patti (area bordering the Yamuna in the district) was staged at the Collectorate on February 19 with prior permission of the Additional District Magistrate. The farmers were demanding that the area be declared drought-hit as the crops had failed. On the District Magistrate’s refusal to accept their memorandum the farmers decided to sit on an indefinite dharna, Mr. Agarwal said, adding that on February 20 the police resorted to an unprovoked lathi charge and firing twice at 3 PM and again at 8 PM.

The SP member said about 150 farmers were injured with three still missing and 30 were sent to jail on fake charges.

Om Prakash Singh of the BJP demanded a high-level inquiry into the incident and withdrawal of cases. .

Mr. Verma said 18 farmers were sent to jail but denied that the police resorted to lathi charge and firing.

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