Modi govt invites Opposition to Land Bill debate

Unable to garner enough support to pass the Land Acquisition Bill in the Rajya Sabha, the Narendra Modi government on Thursday reached out to leaders of Opposition parties, including Sonia Gandhi, and activist Anna Hazare, inviting them to an open debate on the issue.

Sources claimed that the BJP is treading cautiously on the crucial Bill and is awaiting the response of other parties on the other two Bills - coal and mines - in the Rajya Sabha.

With the Land Acquisition Ordinance expiring on April 5, the government may extend the first part of the current Budget session, if the Land Acquisition Bill is not passed, and promulgate the ordinance afresh.

Asserting that the Bill was pro-farmer, Union Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari wrote to Congress president Sonia Gandhi, leaders of other Opposition parties and social activist Anna Hazare, saying the government was willing to debate all aspects of the Bill, which is awaiting the Rajya Sabha's approval.

A united and aggressive Opposition led by the Congress is blocking the Bill's passage in the Rajya Sabha. Following a march this week, they submitted a memorandum to President Pranab Mukherjee, terming the Bill as antifarmer.

The letter written by the senior Cabinet minister reads, "The Narendra Modiled BJP government has brought in significant amendments to the Land Acquisition Bill keeping the interest of farmers and rural development in mind. But some parties and organisations are opposing this Bill for political reasons. No compromise has been made in the Bill with the compensation provisions for land owners. No provision in the Bill is anti-farmer... In fact, the Bill will bring prosperity to villages and farmers and we are ready to debate the Bill on any forum."

Taking on the Opposition for projecting the Bill as anti-farmer, Gadkari said while the UPA government's land act had kept 13 laws outside the ambit of the provisions of mandatory consent and social impact, the BJP government has added some more important issues to the exempted list, to which the Opposition parties have objected.

"Some of the laws the UPA exempted are the National Highways Bill and the Railways Bill... We have added some more important issues to it... Should farmers not get water on their fields? Should villages not prosper? Is national security not important?" Gadkari asked in the letter.

(Courtesy: Mail Today)