Mumbai: If Congress leader Rahul Gandhi was
so concerned about farmers' land issues and their harassment,
he should visit Jaitapur in Maharashtra and lead the agitation
of the local farmers and fishermen against the proposed
nuclear power plant there, Shiv Sena said on Saturday.
"Rahul should visit Jaitapur and lead the agitation. We
will also join in," Sena executive president Uddhav Thackeray
said.
"Rahul has waged an agitation against the Mayawati
government, saying that farmers' lands cannot be acquired by
force. He has also undertaken padyatras. This is nothing but a
farce by Rahul and Congress," Uddhav said.
"All this is a political nautanki (drama)," the Sena
leader said.
Shiv Sena has backed the local people's agitation against
the nuclear power project in Jaitapur, in coastal Ratnagiri
district.
Despite the Jaitapur project being against farmers'
interests, lands were being acquired by force and the
government was firing upon farmers and fishermen who opposed
it, Uddhav said.
"On one hand, you undertake padyatra for farmers in
Uttar Pradesh, and on the other, take farmers' lives here.
Stop this drama. If you have courage, fight for Jaitapur
farmers. We will leave political differences aside and join
you," Uddhav said.
Sena leader's comments came after Rahul Gandhi addressed
a Kisan Mahapanchayat, capping his 70-km foot march through
the villages of Greater Noida and Aligarh and rejected the
criticism that it was a "drama".
PTI
First Published: Saturday, July 09, 2011, 21:58