Farmers rage over land sale - four dead

A gathering of 30,000 farmers brandishing guns, swords and sticks attended the mahapanchayat in Jigarpur village of Aligarh on Monday, a day after the death of three protesters and one policeman in clashes with the police. They reiterated their demand for higher compensation for farm land acquired for the 165-km Yamuna Expressway project, connecting Noida and Agra, and for the Model City project near the expressway. The gathering, attended by Opposition leaders of Uttar Pradesh, reiterated the demand for the same compensation that has been given for the land acquired in Noida and Greater Noida - Rs 880 per square meter instead of Rs 450 per square meter that has been offered to farmers in Aligarh and Mathura districts by the Bahujan Samaj Party government in the state. Burning an effigy of Chief Minister Mayawati, the agitating farmers said they would continue fighting for their demand and would accept the state government's offer of talks only after the release of their arrested leader Ram Babu Kathelia. After Sunday's incident, the district administration in Aligarh took no chances on Monday. It ordered the closure of all schools and colleges in the district till Tuesday. Farmers have been agitating for 19 days against the acquisition of their land for Yamuna Expressway project. Their demonstrations had remained peaceful till their leader Kathelia was arrested on Saturday.