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Refuting reports that inadequate compensation for their acquired land was the reason behind the eruption of violence, UP Director General of Police Karamveer Singh told mediapersons in Lucknow, "The trouble in Greater Noida was engineered by a self-styled leader of the farmers Manvendra Singh Teotia, who had his own political agenda and vested interest."
"The trouble has nothing whatsoever to do with any kind of compensation against acquired land. Bulk of the farmers had not received compensation, but had publicly declared their satisfaction with what they received through a mutual settlement."
According to him, Teotia was trying to exploit the sentiments of a small fringe of farmers for his own vested interest.
"There were other issues behind the trouble," Singh said, but refused to divulge details. "We will talk about those issues later but let me clarify that those involved in igniting the trouble were not farmers but some anti-social element who were trying to falsely project themselves as champions of the cause of farmers."
The ruling Bahujan Samaj Party too issued a clarification on Saturday reiterating what the state police chief said. "The Mayawati government has always believed in giving the highest priority to the interest of farmers. That is why a system has evolved to settle compensation through mutual negotiations between the farmer and the party for whom the acquisition is required. It's the government that facilitates these negotiations," the statement said.
The statement also flayed the Congress party whose state president Rita Bahuguna Joshi had sought to blame the Mayawati government for Saturday's violence. "The Congress must look into its own track record before raising a word against us. Joshi's accusations against the Mayawati government reflect her anti-Dalit mindset," the BSP added.