Click to play videoNew Delhi: Nearly two months after his visit to the epicentre of farmers' protests at Bhatta Parsaul - that led to his midnight arrest - Rahul Gandhi seems to be testing Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati's patience yet again.
The Congress General Secretary visited Parsaul village in Greater Noida on Tuesday morning as part of his protest march across Uttar Pradesh villages.
Rahul made Bhatta Parsaul, which saw widespread protests over land acquisition two months back, the first stop of his 'Kisan Sandesh Yatra' when he came
calling in a car at 6 am drumming up support for the planned kisan mahapanchayat in Aligarh on Saturday.
The Mayawati government refused Rahul permission to hold a kisan mahapanchayat in Bhatta Parsaul in the outkirts of Delhi as the two sides geared up for another round of confrontation ahead of the crucial Assembly elections in UP next year.
Sitting on a rope cot, Rahul looked very much at home, holding a small, beaming child in school uniform on his lap as he talked to villagers. Rahul was accompanied by security personnel.
"Whatever happened in Bhatta Parsaul, other people were not aware of it. I wanted to understand this land acquisition happening here, from here to Agra. This yatra I have started from Bhatta, from here I will to go to villages and I will try to understand this acquisition, the new law and the peoples' opinion on this law. How, where and for whom are the laws getting implemented I want to understand.
"That is why I have come here and will go to other villages to understand the same," he said.
Rahul was arrested by the Mayawati government in Bhatta Parsaul on the night of May 11 and released after a few hours when he had gone there to oppose the police action against farmers during their protests against land acquisition. Four persosn were killed during the police action.
Rahul told the villagers that the Congress is dedicated to take up their cause and was therfore holding the mahapanchayat.
"The government has asked us to take the compensation and give away our land. If we give it off, where will we go? We are unemployed, our land is the only source of our earning," said a farmer.
Congress leaders accompanying Rahul told Bhatta Parsaul farmers that the kisan mahapanchayat was earlier scheduled to be held at Bhatta Parsaul but as the administration did not give permission the venue was shifted to Aligarh. Some areas of Aligarh saw massive agitation against land acquisition in August last year.
"Rahul Gandhi has started a five-day padyatra where he will be travelling through the villages of uttar Pradesh to understand their problems. It's not sure whether he will be walking or not," said Congress leader Digvijaya Singh.
"Rahul gandhi's visit to Bhatta Parsaul is certainly very convincing that he believes in politics of morality and politics of faith and trust with the people. He has also instructed us to go to the high court. The fact that the Mayawati government is refusing to institute a judicial inquiry or a CBI inquiry clearly smacks of the fact that there is something to hide," said UPCC chief Rita Bahuguna Joshi.
Rahul also visited the adjoining Mirzapur, Rosa and Rustampur village where he sat under roadside trees and and listened to farmers' grievances.
He will proceed to Rabupura and then to Aligarh.
(With additional information from PTI)
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