The recent case happened in Allahabad district on January 21, when police opened fire on agitating farmers in Kachari village, under Karchana assembly constituency.

During the clash between police and farmers, the ADM and SP were chased and farmers set two vehicles on fire. The police firing on agitating farmers resulted in killing one farmer and injuring 12. The problems began when the farmers started demanding that they should be given adequate compensation in lieu of the lands that were acquired for the construction of a thermal power station in that area.

Incidentally, their lands have been acquired by the UP government to provide the Jay Pee group a huge plot for the intended construction of a thermal plant. The farmers’ agitation was premised on supposed inadequacy of the compensation that has been promised, including job assurance for every family in the eight villages that have been displaced as a result. The government has also promised that the Group would extend the basic amenities and facilities provided to the power plant employees.

The UP government claims to have given compensation of Rs 3 lakh per bigha land to the farmers whose land had been acquired, but the latter were demanding Rs 8-9 lakhs, as given to farmers in Greater NOIDA, or as in Aligarh, where farmers got compensated at the rate Rs 5 lakhs per bigha.

Besides Karchana, there have been incidences of clash between farmers and Mayawati government in Tappal town of Aligarh, where two persons, including one policeman were killed and dozen others were injured. The farmers were demanding higher compensation against acquisition of their land for the Yamuna Expressway between NOIDA and Agra. The farmers had extended their campaign to Mathura also.

The farmers protestation at that time had the support from almost all the Opposition parties, and had led to a massive gherao of the Parliament in New Delhi that took place on August 21, 2010.

Scores of farmers staged a demonstration in Uttar Pradesh's Jhansi city on January 2, to protest against the government's acquisition of their lands.

The agitating farmers also demanded proper compensation for their lands.

'We want proper compensation for the lands that have been taken by the government, the lands which have been snatched from us. They have taken our wells, our tress; we want compensation for that, or else give us land in place of the lands that were taken away,' said Roop Singh, an angry farmer at the protest gathering, who was also despondent at his financial loss.

The farmers said that they were not at all happy with the way their lands are being used.

'They are making dams, lakes and if they would make the dams, how will we survive? We are also facing drought from the past three years and now this is happening with us for the past one-and-a-half years. We have children with us. We do not even get proper wages for labor work. How will my family survive?' said Mohan, a distraught farmer angry with UP government.

The state government has notified that land would be acquired in 1,192 villages of four Uttar Pradesh districts for the project worth 90 billion Rupees.

Samajwadi Party state president, Akhilesh Yadav termed the police action in Allahabad as shocking and deplorable. He said farmers had been agitating peacefully since long, but no attention was paid to their grievances.

UPCC President, Rita Bahuguna Joshi, accused the Mayawati government of being anti-farmer for acquiring farmers’ land at throwaway prices. Congress President said that the manner in which police acted against the farmers was barbaric, similar to Tappal in Aligarh earlier this year. She demanded Rs 10 lakh to the family of the farmer who was killed in police firing and Rs 5 lakh for those injured.

BJP spokesman, Rajendra Tewari, said that police action in Allahabad showed that Mayawati government was anti-farmer and anti-poor. He alleged that BSP government was promoting the interests of the private company at the cost of ordinary farmers.

Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) also blamed UPA government at the centre, along with Mayawati government, for the brutal lathi-charge and police firing agitating farmers. RLD leaders said UPA government at centre had not formulated new laws for land acquisition.

Meanwhile UP Power Worker’s Joint Morcha demanded that Bara-Karchana Power Plant, which had been controversial ever since it was handed over to the private sector, should be taken back in public sector and handed over to UP Power Utpadan Nigam. (IPA Service)