Ballia, July 17: Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati today threatened to arrest BJP MLA Ram Iqbal Singh, who has been agitating for restoration of a piece of land, allegedly grabbed by a BSP MLA, to a dalit and announced construction of an Ambedkar Community Centre at the disputed site. Addressing a public meeting here after a surprise inspection of development works at Ambedkar villages in the district, Mayawati said "the land in dispute will not be given to any of the warring parties. An Ambedkar community centre will be constructed there."
Criticising Singh, BJP MLA from Rasra, "for playing politics over the matter", she directed the officials to arrest him if he continued his agitation over the issue. Action would be taken against her party MLA Ghura Ram if he raked up the issue again, she added. Singh has been holding agitational programmes in protest against the alleged grabbing of the land, which he claimed belonged to a dalit, by Ghura Ram's family members.

He told reporters later that he would continue his agitation over the matter until the possession of the land was restored to its genuine owner.

Singh said he did not expect the Chief Minister to "stoop down to such a level".

He said he would court arrest at the district headquareter on August one. Local party workers would form a human chain from the BJP office to the BSP office at lucknow to register their protest, he added.

Bureau Report.