Greater Noida: Marking the first anniversary of Uttar Pradesh police crackdown on farmers in Bhatta Parasol who protested acquisition of their land by the then Mayawati government, farmers on Monday staged a sit-demonstration demanding withdrawal of cases against them.
A few hundred farmers assembled at the Bhatta, where the farmers had launched their anti-land acquisition stir last January, and staged a sit-in demonstration demanding amendment in land acquisition policy and the right to farmers to sell their land directly to purchasers.
The agitation had turned violent on May 7 last year and a police-farmers clash took place in which two farmers and as many policemen were killed and several injured in exchange of fire.
Farmers leader Manvir Singh Tevatia was leading the agitation and police had arrested him and others and filed cases against them on charges of kidnapping, assault, rioting and other offences under IPC.
Since then, 9 farmers are still in jail while the rest have got bail.
Farmers said they will not allow any construction till the arrested farmers are released from jail and cases against them withdrawn.
The farmers` agitation had hit news headlines when Congress General Secretary Rahul Gandhi had visited the site and expressed solidarity with the farmers.
PTI
