Greater Noida, May 11: Taking on Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati, Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday joined the land war in Greater Noida, pledging full support to farmers fighting against acquisition and promising not to desert them till their demands are met.
Sneaking into Batta Parsaul village, the epicentre of the agitation in Western Uttar Pradesh, in the wee hours riding pillion on a motorcycle, he sat with the agitating farmers throughout the day in scorching heat to empathise with their cause.
“I feel ashamed to call myself Indian after seeing what has happened here. The (State) government here has unleashed atrocities on its own people,” the Congress general secretary told the farmers.
Even as he sat on a dharna, a war of words erupted, with BJP terming it as a “drama” and wanting to know why the UPA government was still not acting on his earlier promise of bringing Land Acquisition Bill in Parliament.
The Congress, on its part, said it was keen to get on early passage of the bill in Parliament. Gandhi, who sat with the farmers for over 12 hours, said he associated with them as they were demanding their “right” and there was “nothing wrong” in it.
“I want to tell you that I am with you till your demands are met. Till your work is not done, the Congress party will not desert you,” he said to a thunderous applause from the gathering which shouted slogans hailing him.
–Agencies