Government doubles down on divisive land acquisition bill

HAZARE SAYS GOVERNMENT IS TRYING TO MISLEAD THE PEOPLE

Under attack from the opposition, and now its allies, over the land acquisition bill, the government said yesterday it was “open minded” to suggestions but added that the measure was “farmer friendly”.

After the Shiv Sena, the Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) said yesterday it has apprehensions over the bill.

“We have objections over some measures. There are questions about the need of doing away with farmers’ consent. They also will have no right to move court,” LJP MP Chirag Paswan said after a meeting, attended by six LJP MPs, where the bill was discussed.

The Shiv Sena

has

already made its opposition clear that it will “not support any law that is against the interest of farmers”.

Shiv Sena MP Arvind Sawant yesterday questioned government’s explanation about the legislation and said: “When there will be no land left then what is the point of PM irrigation scheme? The farmers are scared that the government will take away their land. This needs to be addressed. We cannot make farmers unhappy.”

He made the comment while participating in the discussion on motion of thanks to the president’s speech. Union Minister Nitin Gadkari, however, defended the law and blamed the opposition for spreading misinformation on the bill.

The minister said the land that would be acquired will be used for rural infrastructure projects such as irrigation and roads, which will help the rural population. “It is a misunderstanding that we will acquire land for private sector. The projects which will be in PPP mode [PublicPrivate Partnership] will be ultimately owned by government,” Gadkari said.

Activist Anna Hazare, who is spearheading an agitation against amendments in the act, rubbished the government’s claim that these were more “effective” and “farmer-friendly”, saying it was trying to mislead the people.

“The government is more worried about the industrialists and not about farmers. The country has woken up now,” Hazare said.

AP Voicing their fears Farmers shout anti-government slogans during a protest against the proposed move to ease rules for acquiring land to facilitate infrastructure projects in New Delhi yesterday.