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LATEST NEWS UPDATES | Centre tests nerves on land law battle -Radhika Ramaseshan

Centre tests nerves on land law battle -Radhika Ramaseshan

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published Published on Feb 25, 2015   modified Modified on Feb 25, 2015
-The Telegraph

New Delhi: The Centre has tabled a land acquisition bill with provisions identical to that of a controversial ordinance, taking a calculated gamble and testing the nerves of the Opposition that is hoping to build a campaign anchored on farmers.

Tabled in the Lok Sabha this morning, the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Bill is based entirely on the ordinance the Union cabinet had cleared in December 2014.

BJP ally Shiv Sena tonight said it would not support the bill and fence-sitter Biju Janata Dal has expressed strong reservations. The government also offered to hold talks with the Opposition.

But the mood in the government till this evening appeared to be against making too many changes although it had hinted at accommodating Opposition concerns two days ago.

On Monday night, at an "informal" meeting of the BJP's parliamentary board, it was decided that the bill would be a replica of the ordinance, sources said.

"As far as possible", none of the provisions, including those opposed by RSS-aligned constituents like the Swadeshi Jagran Manch and the Bharatiya Kisan Sangh, would be "diluted", the sources added.

"The last thing that the Prime Minister wants is a clone of the UPA law. If that was to be the case, why would the NDA government have laboured over bringing in amendments?" asked a board member.

Disquiet is said to be spreading through the ranks of the BJP in the heartland because of the "anti-farmer" and "pro-industry" labels the Opposition has stuck on the ordinance. Provisions in the ordinance that exempt acquisitions for certain industries from prior consent of landowners and a social impact assessment had drawn most of the flak.

But a senior minister asked: "Who are these protesters? They belong to NGOs that claim to represent the farmers but not one of their spokespersons has ever farmed or knows the basics of farming. Unfortunately, in the previous UPA regime, a couple of senior ministers got carried away by these very protesters, engaged with them and gave them legitimacy disproportionate to their spheres of influence among farmers. That is why I counselled our government to not reach out to them this time, not even to Anna Hazare."

The minister added that if there were "signs of genuine ferment" among the peasants, "we have reasons to worry, put our heads together and think about what next?"

"So far, we have not sensed any such thing," he claimed.

The government and the BJP leadership are working in concert to counter not only the Opposition but also some Sangh sympathisers.

This morning, Prime Minister Narendra Modi briefed the party MPs on the bill. In the evening, the government asked rural development minister Chaudhary Birender Singh to make a presentation.

BJP president Amit Shah set up an eight-member panel of MPs to network with farmers and speak to their organisations. The MPs are mainly from Bihar, which will vote later this year, and Uttar Pradesh where the Opposition is addressing the predominantly rural populace.

The BJP is building its case on the contention that its bill will ensure four times more compensation than earlier and other long-term benefits when land is acquired for public projects.

In the Lok Sabha, the government can push through the bill even if the entire Opposition is united. But it does not have the majority in the Rajya Sabha.

Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge warned the government against bulldozing its way instead of adopting a consensual approach. But parliamentary affairs minister Venkaiah Naidu declared: "The minority cannot dictate to the majority. That will be the murder of democracy."


The Telegraph, 25 February, 2015, http://www.telegraphindia.com/1150225/jsp/frontpage/story_5376.jsp#.VO06AS7xxpA


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