BSP holds demonstration across UP against land bill

Sharpening its attack on the new land bill, BSP today organised demonstrations across Uttar Pradesh alleging "neglect" of farmers by the Centre and the state government.
BSP workers staged dharnas at all district headquarters to protest "neglect" of farmers by the Centre and the UP government as also against poor law and order situation in the state.
Led by local leaders, BSP workers and activists assembled at 'dharna' sites in the district headquarters at 11 AM and raised slogans against the state and central governments.
In Lucknow, BSP general secretary Naseemuddin Siddiqui led the workers at Jyotiba Phule Park carrying placards and banners denouncing both the governments.

Wearing blue (party colour) caps, they shouted slogans and blocked traffic in the busy areas of the state capital.
"Since traffic was being affected and some ambulances were also caught up in the jam, we decided to cut short the dharna in the state capital as our aim has never been to cause inconvenience to people," Siddiqui said.

Meanwhile, a BSP release claimed that the protest was a big success in all the 75 districts of the state.
BSP supremo Mayawati congratulated partymen and said this might force the NDA and UP governments to change their anti-farmers stance, the release said.

Folders with details of the land acquisition bill and how it was meant to "serve the interests of capitalists and industrialists" were also distributed during the dharna to apprise the people of the "design" of the NDA government.
Similar protests will be staged on May 2 in others states where the party has a base, the party said.
"Dharnas will be staged to highlight three main issues - the anti-farmer land bill, neglect by the Centre and state governments of the farmers facing hardships due to rain and hailstorm and bad law and order situation in UP during the three years rule of SP government," Mayawati said.