Patna: Farmers opposing the proposed Pataliputra Greenfield Satellite Township in Patna intensified their agitation on Tuesday, with large numbers joining demonstrations amid ongoing student protests in the capital. Police detained several protesters during the stir.
The farmers said they would continue resisting the land acquisition process and announced plans for a larger movement against the government. Raising slogans such as “Bankipur is just a glimpse; the entire nation is yet to rise”, they warned that the agitation could expand if what they described as government excesses against farmers, students and the public continued.
Speaking to the media after being detained, farmers said they were prepared to face arrest but would not surrender their land. One protester said they were willing to go to jail and even make the ultimate sacrifice, but would not part with their farmland. They alleged that the government was attempting to acquire land against their wishes and accused police of using force against those opposing the process.
The protesters claimed arrests and police action would not intimidate them and suggested that students and other sections of society could join the farmers’ movement. They said they would declare a major agitation against the township project soon if their concerns were not addressed.
Farmers questioned the government’s land pooling and acquisition policy, alleging that it could ultimately benefit large industrial interests. They said agricultural land, the primary source of livelihood for families, could be lost.
A farmer from Fatuha said cultivators had been fighting for a long time to protect their land and alleged that the government was acting unfairly. He maintained that farmers would not surrender their land regardless of pressure.
Some protesters also made political allegations against the state government, claiming the land-pooling process could transfer land to major industrial groups. These allegations have not been independently verified.
The farmers warned that the agitation would be intensified if the government failed to reconsider its position on the proposed township. They said the movement was not limited to land acquisition and suggested that farmers, students and other sections of society could come together in a broader agitation.
The protesters reiterated that they would continue opposing the Pataliputra Greenfield Satellite Township land acquisition process and demanded that the government reconsider its decision. They maintained that their agricultural land is essential to their families’ livelihoods and vowed to continue their protest rather than give it up.
(IANS)
