Bhatta Parsaul women to march to Mulayam's house in protest

Almost three months have passed since the UP government announced withdrawal of cases slapped against farmers of Bhatta Parsaul, but the farmers claimed that they were still getting court notices.

They will protest and give memorandum to the SP supremo.

The state government had withdrawn the criminal cases lodged against the farmers on November 1 last year, a promise Akhilesh Yadav had made while campaigning for Assembly polls in the state.

A group of five women are on hunger strike for last five days at the DM office complex. They, along with villager and social workers will march to Delhi on January 26.

"The farmers on bail were getting court notices to appear in the case and nine farmers including our leader Manveer Singh Tevatia was still in jail. As we are not getting response even after hunger strike, now on January 26 we will march to SP Chief Mulayam Singh Yadav's house at Delhi," Sunita Devi one of Bhatta woman said today.

However, a senior prosecution officer said that the process to withdraw cases was still on.

"Cases withdrawal process in seven cases was in final stages while for rest around a dozen cases necessary replies to queries have been forwarded to state government," said a senior prosecution officer.

Twenty cases were registered against hundreds of farmers at Dankaur Police station since the farmers agitation started in January 17, 2011.

Around sixty farmers were named as accused while rest were shown as unknown.

Police had shortlisted around 14 farmers who were booked under charges of kidnapping, attempt to murder, murder, rioting and other IPC sections.

The agitation of farmers against land acquisition had turned violent on May 7, 2011. Two farmers and as many policemen were killed and several others injured in an exchange of fire.

Farmers leader Manvir Singh Tevatia was leading the stir and police had arrested him and others and filed cases against them on charges of kidnapping, assault, rioting and other offences under IPC.

9 farmers are still in jail while the rest have got bail.