Farmers of Barwala village in outer Delhi forcibly stopped the construction of Delhi Development Authority (DDA) on Wednesday. The farmers took the extreme step as the deadline granted to the government for revised compensation on land acquisition passed on November 15.
Around 1,500 farmers were detained and later released by the police. The farmer leaders warned the government to not make a situation like Bhatta Parsaul in Delhi. The leaders accused the Delhi government of buying the lands on very low rates and selling them on sky-high prices.
The farmers claimed that the government brought their lands on a rate of `325 per square yard and now the DDA is selling the land at `1.50 lakh to `3 lakh per square meter.
“We met the Delhi CM last month and she assured of a revised compensation rate by November 15 but nothing happened yet. The Delhi government is playing a double game with us. The Delhi State Industrial and Infrastructure Devel-opment Department (DSIIDC), which is under the Delhi government, brought the land from us and then the government handed over the selling of lands to the DDA claiming that the DDA is not under the Delhi government so it can sell land on any price,” said Manjeet Dabas, spokesperson of the farmer’s association.
Around 1,500 people from Barwala and near by villages forced the DDA employees to stop the construction work. The employees and precious machinery used by the DDA on the sites were immediately removed, as the officials were feared of violence by the mob.
“If the government will not revise the rates then we will stage Dharna at the Jantar Mantar on November 25 and will stop all the construction work of DDA in the area. The government is very soft to the farmers of Bhatta Parsaul in Greater Noida. Why they can nott see farmers suffering under their nose in Delhi,” said Zile Singh, president of the Kisan Khatihar Majdoor Sangathan.
“The protest was non violent and we detained around 1,500 people when they tried to stop the construction work of the DDA. Later all of them were released. Additional forces are deployed in the area as per precaution,” said a senior police official.