Bihta farmers call off fast after assurance

Patna,(BiharTimes): Farmers of several villages of Bihta block of the state capital, who were on indefinite fast since August 26 to demand adequate compensation for their land acquired for IIT-Patna, a mega industrial park and other institutes, on Sunday evening called off their stir following an appeal made by Patna district magistrate (DM) N Saravana Kumar.

The district magistrate visited Dilawarpur village, where the farmers were on fast, and assured that their demands would be considered at the level of the principal secretary, revenue and land reforms. He said the farmers and the two representatives of administration would soon meet in Patna. 

The leader of the farmers, Anand Kumar, said the DM told the agitating farmers that he was not against them.

The farmers had on Saturday itself allowed construction work to resume though they continued to fast.
Those present during the talks between the DM and the farmers included leaders of different parties including Dr C P Thakur of BJP, U N Mishra and Badri Narayan Lal of CPI, Ram Kripal Yadav and Bhai Virendra of RJD, Ganesh Shankar Vidyarthi of the CPM, besides, Usha Vidyarthi, Ashok Kumar Chaudhury and Suryadeo Tyagi. The DM said there was technical problem in considering their demand of ‘one project, one rate’ for compensation of land acquired at Bihta in Patna district.