Utkal Reporter Bureau|24 February 2015
The government on Tuesday introduced the land acquisition bill in the loksabha in spite of there being strong protest against the move in and outside the house. The Modi government that had promulgated an ordinance in December last year to facilitate easy land availability for development projects was all determined replace the ordinance with a bill. And Rural Development minister Birender Singh, on behalf of the government introduced the bill, titled Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement (Amendment) Bill 2015,
The entire opposition walked out of the house in protest after the speaker Sumitra Mahajan allowed the minister to table the bill. They termed the bill as anti farmer and anti people. Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge said to a news agency that the bill had been brought to help some corporate companies and Industrialists.
Earlier in the day he had announced to oppose “tooth and nail” to prevent the bill getting into the house. He said”we did not want the bill to be introduced but once it is we will oppose it when it is discussed.”
“The land bill will have serious consequence for the future.” said Samajwadi Party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav as he added that SP will protest the bill in the house. Mayawati charged the government that that was openly favouring big industrialists on land acquisition bill.
NCP chief Sharad Pawar said his party will support the opposition on the bill as in the new bill the social impact assessment and consent clause have been dropped “ His party leader Prafull Patel said,” I don’t think the bill can be passed in its present form.”
In the contest BJP find even some of its allies standing in the opposition ranks. We don’t want anti-farmer bill. Farmer should not be ignored, we are an agricultural based country and they should be respected: said Shiv Sena.
Raju Shetty leader of the Swabhimani Shetkari Sangathana an NDA constituent also staged walked out of the house along with the members of Congress, Trinamool Congress (dressed in green in protest), CPI(M), Janata Dal (United), Samjawadi Party, Nationalist Congress Party, Biju Janata Dal, Aam Aadmi Party, Telengana Rashtra Samithi,
On the other hand PM Narendra Modi had asked all the NDA MPs to defend the bill aggressively and bust the myth propagated by the opposition on the bill.
Parliament affairs minister Venkaih Naidu said that 32 states and Union Territories had made a representation to the Centre, demanding change inthe law as it made development “impossible”. He said “the government gives priority to the welfare of the farmers.”
Leave a Reply