Farmers stir: Sonia Gandhi pulls up Mayawati Govt.

Varanasi, May 19 (ANI): Accusing the Mayawati Government of using state machinery to acquire land for projects, Congress President Sonia Gandhi on Thursday said she was 'ashamed' to see the 'brutalities' perpetrated on farmers in Bhatta Parsaul village of Greater Noida.

Addressing a party convention here, Gandhi said: "The state has become 'andher nagri', where there is no law and order. There is anarchy and lawlessness in UP.

Fully backing her son and Congress General Secretary Rahul Gandhi, she said: "Congress workers should go to the people and fight for their problems. I am sure victory will be ours in UP as well. Congress party has always upheld your trust."

Further slamming the other political outfits targeting the United Progressive Alliance (UPA), Gandhi said: "The political parties try to put UPA government in the dock by raking up issue of corruption. No other government initiated hard measures like ours on corruption. Did NDA government initiate such stern measures?"

"Jinke ghar sheeshe ke hote hain, wo dusron par patthar nahi marte (Those who live in house of glass should not pelt stones on others)," she added.

Gandhi said that recently concluded assembly elections in five states showed that Congress got the maximum support of the people.

"BJP was limited to four-five seats only. Left is also wiped out in these elections," she said.

Demanding a judicial probe into the violence in Bhatta Parsaul village of Greater Noida, Rahul Gandhi had on Wednesday said that would go to every village of Uttar Pradesh and fight for ousting the government.

The farmers have been agitating since January demanding higher compensation for their lands acquired by the Uttar Pradesh Government.

Their demand is that only half their lands should be acquired, while the rest should be handed over to the farmers after development.

They also want 25 percent reservation for farmers in all schemes of Noida, Greater Noida and Yamuna Expressway.

The farmers have also been demanding that the authorities should give 120 square metre plots to landless farmers and a compensation of Rs. 5,00,000 for each acre of acquired land. (ANI)