BJP leader Rajnath Singh and SP leaders Shivpal Singh Yadav and Mohan Singh were detained by the police along with their supporters when they tried to proceed towards Greater Noida where prohibitory orders are in force since Saturday’s violence.
In Lucknow, Mr Mulayam Singh Yadav and Mr Mohammed Azam Khan extended their party’s full support to the ongoing agitation by farmers.
“We also acquired land for the Dadri project but we made sure that the farmers were paid substantial compensation by the Ambani firm that was to set up the project. Even though the Ambanis later lost money because the project could not come up, the farmers did not lose anything. This government is behaving like a land mafia involved in buying and selling land,” Mr Yadav said.
Meanwhile, Ms Kiran Devi, a young housewife in Bhatta village, told local reporters, “There are no men left in the village, only policemen all over the place. We have no food left to eat because the men have run away. We are living in fear and our children are crying with hunger.”
Agra DIG Asim Arun told reporters that cases had been registered against 24 named and 150 unnamed persons responsible for Sunday’s violence in Chaugan village in the district.