GREATER NOIDA: A couple of days after sponsors of the Formula One race announced that tickets would soon be put up for sale, agitating farmers along the Yamuna expressway have yet again threatened to disrupt the event if their demands are not met by the Authority. Farmers have indicated that they will purchase the F1 racing tickets to get access to the stadium and will hold Kabaddi and wrestling matches inside it.
Speaking to TOI, Dehat Morcha secretary general Dr Rupesh Verma said that this was decided between farmers of 30 villages along the Yamuna Expressway during a panchayat held along with and other farmers' organizations. In the panchayat, it was decided by the farmers that they will now start getting teams ready to contest in kabaddi and wrestling matches inside the stadium before the F1 race begins.
Verma said the reason behind the idea is that playgrounds and land were "snatched" from farmers in the name of land acquisition and now the younger generation has no space for organizing such events. "Earlier, events like kabaddi, wrestling, kho-kho, etc, were the main sources of entertainment and fitness of villagers. But now the younger generation has no space to continue the legacy as their land has been acquired by the Authority and sold to builders in the name of public utility projects," Verma added.
The farmers in the panchayat also chalked out a comprehensive plan as to how they would disturb the F1 race that is to be held in October in the stadium in Dankaur area. "We will purchase the tickets and disrupt the race if our demands are not met before the event," said farmer leader Manjeet Pradhan. "Why should we have a clash with security forces when we can enter the venue easily and play spoilsport," he added.
The farmers have borrowed this idea from farmers of Gautam Budh Nagar and Jat community bodies who had planned to buy tickets for the Commonwealth Games held in Delhi last year. The farmers had been agitating for reservation under the OBC category and had warned that they would disrupt the Games at different venues.
This is not the first time that farmers have threatened to hamper the race or damage the track. On May 6, a day before the clash between security forces and farmers in Bhatta-Parsaul, agitating farmers had turned violent and held hostage employees of Uttar Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation. The farmers had threatened to dig up the racing track after setting the UPSRTC bus on fire.
In January 2010, relocation of cremation ground, which was in use by three local villages — Atta Gujraan, Gunapura and Mirjapur in Greater Noida — had slowed down the pace of construction of the F1 track.
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