MEERUT: Raees Ahmad, a Saharanpur farmer, has declined monetary compensation for his cane crop which got destroyed as his land was converted into the venue for Prime Minister Modi’s rally on Thursday . Ahmad is not the only such farmer. Munnawar Ali, on whose field helipads are to come up, has also refused compensation, both farmers expressing happiness at the “privilege” that their land is being used for the event.

Ahmad, 55, said, “PM Modi is our guest. How can I ask compensation for a guest’s visit? It is not our culture. I am proud that he will address the nation from my land. In fact we are waiting for him eagerly. The Prime Minister is coming to our village. What can be more glroius to me than that?” The compensation refused by him was calculated at over Rs 10,000.

Modi will be addressing the rally near Delhi Road here. A grand stage has been constructed here. Ahmad had grown cane on 8 bighas of land that he has taken on lease from the Madrassa Mazahir Ulum. Raees said that the local lekhpal informed him of the compensation he was to get. “Our MP, Raghav Lakhanpal Sharma also assured me that I would get compensation, but I refused. The PM is doing a lot for the country. I could not ask for money in his name,” Ahmad added.

Meanwhile, three helipads have been constructed on 21 bighas of land just 200 metres from the rally point, on a plot owned by Ali, who has also refused compensation. “I had to sow paddy in the field. Now the work will postponed only a week and that period doesn’t matter for the new crop. It is a rally of our Prime Minister, so the question of accepting compensation does not arise,” he said.

Although Ali will have to make his land ready again for sowing as the helipads have ruined the paddy field completely, he declined the compensation amount of Rs 8,000.



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