Protests against proposed air force facility
By IANSThursday, August 19, 2010
TUNDLA - Farmers here in Firozabad district have hit the streets to protest land acquisition for an air force facility even as resentment over the Yamuna Expressway is far from dying down.
Former legislator Mohan Dev and district panchayat member Brajesh Upadhyaya, who are leading the protests, have said they will not let agricultural land be usurped by government departments at any cost.
The facility is expected to come up between Tundla and Etah.
Thousands of farmers are restive and planning to block the land acquisition proceedings.
On Wednesday evening, farmers came out on the streets in Tundla. For close to two hours, farmers from Pachokhara to Imlia on Etah road were on the streets with black bands and shouting slogans against the government.
Highway traffic was blocked and traffic was diverted.
Leaders of the ruling Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) said the anger should be directed against the central government and not the state as the land was being acquired by the air force.
Protests against land acquisition for the Yamuna Expressway flared up Thursday with farmers from newer areas, especially along the Agra-Jaipur highway, joining the stir.
