Activists urge Pranab to reject TS’ land Bill

The activists said TS’ amendment to the Act will violate many provisions and protections given to the farmers, farm labourers and other people dependent upon agriculture and allied activities.

After the Congress and Left parties opposed the TS Assembly passing the Land Acquisition Amendment Bill, 2016 that was sent to the President for his assent, various rights activists and organisations have now started coming together to oppose the Bill.

They have requested the President not to approve the controversial Bill that, according to them, will nullify the Land Acquisition Act, 2013 passed by Parliament.

People’s movements, farmers organisations, women’s groups including National Alliance of People’s Movements, Women Against Sexual Violence and State Repression, Mahila Kisan Adhikar Manch, Rythu Swarajya Vedika, Human Rights Forum, Telangana Vyavasaya Vruthidarula Union, Caring Citizens Collective, Mallannasagar project-affected people’s organisation, along with well-known activists, academics and lawyers including Medha Patkar, Aruna Roy, Sandeep Pandey, Dr Sunilam, Prof. Uma Chakravarty, Sujatha Surepally, Padmaja Shaw, Jeevan Kumar, Kiran Vissa, P. Chennaiah and many others have sent a letter to the President calling upon him not to approve the Bill. They termed the Bill as “anti-farmer and anti-people”.

In the letter signed by over a 100 activists, they said that the Bill completely nullifies the progressive provisions of the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act, 2013 passed by Parliament and would result in immense harm to lakhs of small and marginal farmers, landless families and displaced persons, most of who are Dalits, adivasis and women in TS.