Don't let some farm agitationists hold economic preogress

Rahul courting arrest at Bhatta Parsaul

Uttar Pradesh is going to polls next year, and a farmers’ agitation is not good for Mayawati at this stage. The opposition is playing its cards rather well, with Rahul striking the right chord with the locals by his surprise visit, and Mulayam making the right noises. Chief Minister Mayawati’s image as a champion of social justice has got a severe beating with police high-handedness in quashing farmers’ agitation in Bhatta Parsaul.

It is high time, a central act on land acquisition that is hanging fire for long, is enacted soon. The Act must not be delayed only because some ally in teh UPA government does not agree with it. The ground reality is that majority of farmers would agree for a negotiated compensation for their land and only a few would like to relolutely hold on to it. We must find a solution to this issue that has emotive, greed and political elements. Otherwise the progress as well farmers’ welfare would be hostage to a handful lot.

You can see our earlier take on farmers' agitation here.