Previous govt fixed low compensation, says BJP on Barkagaon

The BJP today charged the previous Jharkhand government with fixing a "low amount" of compensation for land acquisition at Hazaribagh's Barkagaon which witnessed a violence that left four persons dead on October 1.
"There had been two meetings in this connection. During the first meeting with Hazaribagh Deputy Commissioner, the compensation (for land acquisition) was raised from Rs 12 lakh to Rs 20 lakh," BJP state president Laxman Gilua told a press conference here.
The second one, chaired by Chief Minister Raghubar Das and attended by former external affairs minister Yashwant Sinha, was held on July 16, Gilua said, adding that the meeting assured the villagers of appropriate compensation.

He alleged that Congress leader Yogendra Sao, who was recently arrested, had instigated the people which led to the violence at Barkagaon where the agitators had certain demands, including suspension of mining operations by the NTPC.
Sao had written a letter to a private company to give transporting and loading work to the firm owned by his son, Gilua claimed and appealed to the villagers to keep away from such "selfish" leaders.
He said the police had identified workers of the 'Tiger Sena', allegedly set up by Sao, who fired at Barkagaon which triggered the violence.