In Uttar Pradesh, the Government has assured the farmers of Bhatta-Parsaul villages in Gautam Buddha Nagar district that criminal cases lodged against them during farmer’s agitation by the previous Mayawati government would be withdrawn. Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav gave this assurance to a delegation of farmers' that called on him in Lucknow.The farmers told the Chief Minister that fake cases were lodged against them by the previous BSP government during their protest against land acquisition in June last year.They also alleged that police not only harassed farmers but their families as well and demanded immediate revocation of the cases.Meanwhile, the Allahabad High Court has struck down the acquisition of 15 hectares of land in a village of Muzaffarnagar district. It was acquired during the previous Mayawati regime for construction of residential colonies.A Division Bench of the court comprising justices Sunil Ambawani and AN Mittal passed this order while allowing the writ petitions challenging the acquisition through two notifications issued in September, 2007 and December, 2010.The petitioners had challenged the acquisition on the ground that urgency clause invoked by the Government had deprived them of an opportunity to raise their objections as per the provisions of Land Acquisition Act though the land was not acquired for any urgent purpose but for constructing residential colonies.