By IANS,
Greater Noida : Opposition leaders, including former Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) president Rajnath Singh, Uttar Pradesh Samajwadi Party leader Shivpal Yadav and Janata Dal-United chief Sharad Yadav were arrested Monday for attempting to visit Greater Noida, the scene of a violent farmers’ agitation against land acquisition.
When the motorcade of Rajnath Singh, a former Uttar Pradesh chief minister, reached the Noida gate near Sector-15, Superintendent of Police Anant Deo announced his formal arrest.
Shivpal Yadav and Sharad Yadav were also stopped at the Noida gate.
“Considering the extent of public outrage that was witnessed against the acquisition of farmers’ land, it would be appropriate for Chief Minister Mayawati to step down from the office,” Rajnath Singh told reporters.
“If I were the chief minister, I would have resigned by now,” he added.
Sharad Yadav said there was no reason to stop any opposition leader from visiting the troubled areas.
“After all I am in the business of politics and the nation’s democracy entitles me to visit people harassed anywhere in the country. Mayawati’s despotic ways are unacceptable. I don’t mind getting arrested for the cause of farmers,” Sharad Yadav told reporters.
Shivlal Yadav said while being ushered into the police bus: “Let her arrest us. It will not deter the Samajwadi Party from its commitment to the cause of farmers.”
Noida police chief Anant Deo said that Section 144 of the law, banning assembly of people and demonstrations, has been imposed throughout the district.
Four people, two policemen and two farmers, were killed when rioting farmers protesting against land acquisition for the proposed Yamuna Expressway and police exchanged fire in Bhatta-Parsaul near here Saturday.
Gautam Budh Nagar District Magistrate Deepal Agrawal and senior Superintendent of Police Surya Narain Singh were injured.
The agitation turned violent Saturday when police tried to rescue three state roadways employees from the farmers’ custody.
A reward of Rs.50,000 has been announced for the capture of farmers’ leader Manvir Singh Teotia, who, according to police, was behind the outburst of violence.
The 165-km Yamuna Expressway being built by the Jaypee group, when completed, is expected to cut the driving time between Delhi and Agra by an hour.
Five commercial-cum-industrial hubs were also proposed along the route.