Rahul Gandhi arrested by UP police, released

There was late night action in Bhatta Parsaul on Wednesday as the Uttar Pradesh police first took Rahul Gandhi into preventive custody and then released on bail about two-and-a-half hours later. The twin villages in Greater Noida , on the outskirts of the national capital, have been the epicentre of protests for the last few days.

Mr Gandhi was taken away from the dharna site in Bhatta Parsaul Village in a grey Tata Safari to the Kasna police station. He was then given bail and dropped on the Delhi-UP border.

Mr Gandhi, along with other Congress leaders, had planned to sit through the night. Sources said this was being seen as Rahul Gandhi taking on Mayawati on her home turf yet again.

State Congress President Rita Bahuguna Joshi has described the arrest as an act of cowardice. She, along with other Congress leaders Raj Babbar and Digvijaya Singh, was also arrested and released with Mr Gandhi.

The Congress party has issued a statement calling the arrest shocking and said Mayawati is digging her own grave.

The state government says Chief Minister Mayawati is being targetted. The Mayawati government launched a counter offensive against Opposition parties accusing them of provoking the farmers of Bhatta Parsaul into violence and charged the Centre with doing nothing to bring a new law for land acquisition.

The Congress general secretary had ridden pillion on a motorcycle into Bhatta Parsaul at 4 am this morning, dodging the strong police force deployed there. It was only when he began meeting farmers and heard their grievances that the policemen recognised the young Congress leader, who has often slipped out of his security cordon in the past to meet people.

In comments there are likely to spark off a fresh political controversy, Rahul Gandhi slammed the state government and said, "I have seen the violence unleashed on your men and women. By seeing what has happened here, I feel ashamed to be an Indian. The state government is tormenting its own people. I was travelling with the Assistant District Magistrate and he told me that it is like Naxalism has reached here."

Mr Gandhi, who sat with the farmers for over 15 hours, said he associated with them as they were demanding their "right" and there was "nothing wrong" in it.

Earlier, an elderly woman told the AICC General Secretary how "brutally PAC men had manhandled women members of her family in the name of conducting a search" after the clashes broke out. Another elderly man showed injuries on his body allegedly inflicted by policemen with batons.

During his surprise visit, Rahul interacted with villagers and assured them of his support for the cause. (Photo courtesy: www.pressbrief.in)

Rahul Gandhi described the farmers' agitation as a one-sided battle against a government that took their land at below-market rates and then passed it on to massive commercial developers, who in turn will make a killing on the malls and other projects they're poised to set up. (Photo courtesy: www.pressbrief.in)

Bhatta Parsaul, in the suburbs of the national Capital, has turned into a political battleground for parties after four people, including two policemen, were killed in Saturday's clashes between police and farmers. The Opposition has flayed the UP government for its land acquisition policy.

Farmers in Greater Noida and adjoining areas are demanding more compensation from the Mayawati government for their land.

Rahul Gandhi moved from house to house to interact with the farmers about land acquisition. He also visited the families of those injured or killed in the agitation. (Photo courtesy: www.pressbrief.in)

Bloody clashes between police and farmers in Greater Noida have has turned into a political battleground for parties which have flayed the Uttar Pradesh government''s land acquisition policy. (Photo courtesy: www.pressbrief.in)

The protests by farmers began first in Greater Noida and then spread to towns like Mathura and Agra. Farmers say the government acquired land from them for the highway project at below-market rates.(Photo courtesy: www.pressbrief.in)

The farmers say the same land is now being resold at huge mark-ups for commercial projects like malls. (Photo courtesy: www.pressbrief.in)

The farmers' protest against land acquisition along the Yamuna Expressway has turned into a full-blown political crisis for the Mayawati government. (Photo courtesy: www.pressbrief.in)