UP withdraws cases against Bhatta Parsaul farmers

Lucknow: The Uttar Pradesh government has withdrawn criminal cases slapped on farmers who led the Bhatta Parsaul agitation in 2011 during the Mayawati regime. Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav late on Friday ordered the cases to be withdrawn and said the jailed farmers were innocent.

He said the cases were being abjured for the sake of justice. The farmers were also assured that their sugarcane dues would be cleared within three weeks and that service lanes along the 165-km long Yamuna Expressway, opened earlier this month between Noida and Agra, would be constructed within six months.

Earlier, the Samajwadi Party (SP) government had withdrawn criminal cases lodged against 37 Tappal farmers, who agitated against 'forceful acquisition' of their farmlands. The SP in its poll manifesto had promised withdrawal of cases against farmers if they were voted to power.

The SP in its poll manifesto had promised withdrawal of cases against farmers if they were voted to power.

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