Lucknow: Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi, who is on a day visit to the Uttar Pradesh capital, on Tuesday met farmers from Amethi and assured them of all possible help in resolving their problems.
Gandhi also visited the National Highway Authority of India's (NHAI) regional office in Lucknow and demanded compensation for farmers in his constituency Amethi, whose lands had been acquired for in connection to the expansion of a highway towards Varanasi.
Gandhi reportedly has asked NHAI officials to adopt proper procedures to compensate those affected or shift the bylane.
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"During our UPA regime, we had built a network of National Highways across the Uttar Pradesh. Around six national highways were developed in Amethi, Raebareli and Sultanpur region. But, in Amethi, this has come to light that people's lands are being acquired but proper procedures are not being followed. So, we raised this issue before the National Highways Authority. They said that they will look into the matter," Rahul told media.
It may be mentioned that work on the expansion of NH 56 at Kathora Gram Sabha in Amethi's Jagdishpur block started a year ago. Three days ago, locals allege, NHAI began demolishing houses and shops in the area allegedly without compensating the affected farmers.