Rahul Gandhi arrested at farmers’ protest

NEW DELHI: Indian MP Rahul Gandhi, widely seen as a prime minister-in-waiting, was arrested Wednesday night after joining protesting farmers who allege they were forced from their land to make room for a motorway, reports said.

Gandhi was taken into preventative custody after pledging full support to the farmers in villages in Uttar Pradesh state near the capital New Delhi.

"Rahul Gandhi has been arrested ... and will be presented before a sub-divisional magistrate tomorrow," local police inspector general Rajnikant Mishra was quoted as saying.

Gandhi was arrested in a village in Greater Noida, which was cordoned off by police on Monday after deadly clashes with farmers demanding greater compensation from the state government over its land acquisition policy.

"I feel ashamed to call myself Indian after seeing what has happened here. The (state) government here has unleashed atrocities on its own people," he was quoted as telling the protesting farmers before his arrest.

Gandhi, who arrived on a surprise visit riding pillion on a motorbike in the early hours of Wednesday to avoid police deployed there, pledged to support the farmers. (AFP)