By IANS,
New Delhi : Criticising the Uttar Pradesh government for its action against agitating farmers in Greater Noida, the Congress Monday said the farmers’ demands should be treated with sensitivity.
“Since last four days the farmers were trying to talk with the state government. The state government should contemplate on their demands with sensitivity,” party spokesperson Manish Tewari told reporters.
Referring to the clashes between farmers and security forces, Tewari said the Congress did not support the violence but democracy forbids retaliatory action despite the provocation.
“We are not in support of making captive any government official, but we need to see this incident in perspective. And the perspective is that despite provocation, democracy forbids any government from such atrocities,” he said.
Agitating farmers in Bhatta Parsaul village of Greater Noida had Friday held captive employees of the Uttar Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation, who were later released Saturday evening.
The agitation, which started in January this year, took an ugly turn Saturday when 15 people were critically injured in clashes between farmers and security forces. Four people — two farmers and two police men — were killed and the district magistrate of Gautam Budh Nagar, Deepak Agrawal, was also injured in the clashes.
According to reports, almost all male members have fled their homes in the village fearing harassment or police action.
The farmers are demanding increased financial compensation for the land they claim has been forcibly taken away from them to build the 156-km Yamuna Expressway, between New Delhi and Agra. When ready, the expressway is expected to cut travelling time between New Delhi and Agra by an hour.