Union Home Minister P Chidambarm has said the law and order in Uttar Pradesh is not satisfactory. He was responding to queries from the media persons on the situation in the wake of land acquisition agitation in a number villages in Greater Noida. He described the situation as distressing as farmers are protesting on the acquisition of land and compensation. Some lives have been lost in the protests. He criticised the way Chief Minister Mayawati is handling the protests and expressed hope that the Uttar Pradesh government will take appropriate measures to address their demands. Mr. Chidambaram also disapproved of the police lathi charge on Congress activists in Lucknow.In a reply to a question Mr. Salman Khurshid said as a Member of Parliament Rahul Gandhi has every right to express his concern for farmers in Bhatta Parsoal villages and his arrest was not justified.He said there is no need to interfere with it and now it is more than evident that the people of Uttar Pradesh are extremely unhappy over the manner in which the matter is being dealt with. Mr. Khurshid said UP Chief Minister Mayawati is jittery and losing sleep over the tremendous support and respect Rahul Gandhi got both in and outside party.Meanwhile, several leaders of opposition, social activists and farmers’ leaders were arrested by the Uttar Pradesh police today during state-wide agitation. They were protesting against alleged atrocities in Bhatta Parsaul village of Gautam Buddha Nagar. The Congress sources said more than 10,000 workers, party office bearers including State Party Chief Dr. Rita Bahuguna Joshi, several MPs and MLAs where arrested across the state during the chakka jam called by the party. Dr Rita Bahuguna Joshi was arrested in Lucknow while the state legislative party leader Pramod Tiwari was arrested in Allahabad. The Congress is demanding better compensation to the farmers for their acquired land, lifting of charges against farmers, release of jailed farmers and judicial inquiry into the incident of Bhatta Parsaul village. Social activist Medha Patkar was arrested while trying to enter the Bhatta Parsaul village. BJP leader and former UP Chief Minister Rajnath Singh was arrested in Ghaziabad while observing 24 hours’ fast along with party leaders Arun Jaitley and Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi. Bhartiya Kisan Union leader Rakesh Tikait and 100 BKU workers were arrested in Muzaffarnagar.Earlier, the Chief Minister Mayawati while talking to reporters in Lucknow termed the incident of Bhatta Parsaul village as a conspiracy hatched by the opposition in connivance with the anti-social elements. She blamed the centre for not bringing out a fresh legislation on land acquisition. The acting chairperson of National Commission for Women Yasmin Abrar on Thursday visited Bhatta village and termed the atrocities inflicted by the administration as brutal. She demanded CBI inquiry into the incident. The situation in Bhatta Parsaul village however, is returning to normal. The Inspector General of Police, Meerut Zone Rajnikant Mishra said the villagers are returning home after Saturday’s violence. He said section 144 will remain effective in the western districts.