By IANS,
Lucknow : The opposition Bharatiya Janata Party has demanded an inquiry into the government’s acquisition of farmers’ land in Greater Noida that sparked violence Wednesday that claimed five lives.
“There should be an investigation to ensure that farmers receive adequate compensation in lieu of their land that has been acquired by the government,” Uttar Pradesh BJP president Ramapati Ram Tripathi told reporters here.
Taking into account the complaints being registered by the farmers, BJP has also decided to send a fact-finding committee to Greater Noida, he added.
“The (nine-member) committee will reach Greater Noida Thursday to start its probe,” Tripathi said.
About 2,000 farmers had gathered outside the Greater Noida authority office Wednesday to demand higher compensation for land acquired in previous years for infrastructure projects, including industries and an international airport which has now been shelved.
Police initially resorted to a baton-charge to disperse the farmers, who had intensified their agitation and wanted to storm the authority office.
When the baton-charge failed to quell the angry farmers who suddenly made a charge, police opened fire in which five farmers were killed.
In a retaliatory move, the farmers began pelting the cops with rocks and other handy missiles, leaving a few, including Noida senior superintendent of police R.K. Chaturvedi, injured.
An official spokesman, however, put the toll at three.