Rakesh Tikait urges protesting farmers to gherao collectorate, GDA

BKU leader Rakesh Tikait on Wednesday urged the protesting farmers to gherao the collectorate and the Ghaziabad Development Authority's office to demand enhanced compensation for their land.

The Bhartiya Kisan Union (BKU) national spokesperson also urged them to raise the slogan 'Hamara Zila, Hamara Collectorate' (our district, our collectorate) during the gherao.

Farmers are protesting to get enhanced compensation of their agricultural land, which was acquired by the GDA in 2007 for the Maduban Bapudham housing scheme.

Tikait urged the agitating farmers to continue their protest against the three farm laws along with other demands.

More than 200 farmers of six villages Sadarpur, Mainapur, Nangla, Duhai and Morta have been holding protests near Sadarpur since 2017. The farmers had approached the Allahabad High Court in 2008 but could not get any relief.

Ultimately, they filed a petition in the Supreme Court in November 2017. The apex court in its decision ordered to pay enhanced compensation to the farmers who filed the petition.

BKU vice president of Uttar Pradesh Rajbir Singh said even after the Supreme Court's order, compensation has not been paid by the authority.

Compensation was announced at Rs 1,100 per square meter. Farmers or owners of around 280 acres land did not lift their compensation on previous rates and demanded the cost of their agricultural land as per the new Land Acquisition Act, he said.

The protestors will decide the day on which they will gherao the collectorate or the GDA office, Singh added.