V.P. Singh takes up U.P. farmers' cause

By K V Prasad

MEERUT (U.P.), OCT. 11. Donning the role of a crusader, the former Prime Minister, Mr. V.P. Singh, today identified himself with the farmers here who have been waging a prolonged battle with the administration over compensation for lands acquired by the Meerut Development Authority.

For nearly six hours, the farmers, whose lands were acquired but denied compensation due to dispute over price, waited patiently for their `Raja', and he did not let them down.

Mr. Singh, had promised the farmers last month that in case the Authority remained insensitive to their demands and did not come up with some immediate relief at the end of today's protest rally, he would lead the charge by ploughing the fields, to symbolise that the land acquired by the authority stood forfeited by the farmers.

``The Authority has neither developed the lands nor has the farmer got any compensation. This has resulted in severe wastage of resources,'' Mr. Singh told the farmers.

The tractors were there in waiting complete with the ploughing equipment in Rithani village and Mr. Singh did take a round but did not plunge the plougher. He gave the Authority a month's breather after the MDA's Secretary promised at the rally to work on the demands, including compensation at a negotiated price.

Earlier, speakers were more strident and supported direct action which found greater acceptance among the farmers, who were agitated over the roughshod manner in which the bureaucracy dealt with them.

Sensing the militant mood, Mr. Singh sought an assurance from the assembly that not a word would be raised against the Authority official before he asked the latter to publicly acknowledge that the Authority would look into the grievances and possibly settle them within a timeframe.

Mr. Singh indicated that these lands were acquired under the National Capital Region development plan which would have seen relocation of some offices from Delhi to this town, some 70 km from the Capital. Little happened on that front. Meanwhile, the Authority resold some of the land to builders at a higher price. He said there was also need to democratically constitute these Authorities, functioning in various cities of U.P.

The entire campaign was organised by a forum called ``Dehat Morcha'' (Rural Front) led by the former Janata Dal activist, Mr. Kesri Singh Gujjar. It remains to be seen whether the Front would utilise its strength in the coming U.P. Assembly elections in some manner.

While the Meerut chapter ended for the day, back in Delhi a delegation of Jhhugi-Jhonpri dwellers awaited patiently for Mr. Singh to take up their cause of being displaced by authorities. Another chapter was about to start.

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