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‘Open to changes, Opposition’s misinformation campaign won’t pay’

Asked if the NDA government was ready to include changes in the Bill, the minister said, “Yes, why not? We are ready to make changes and amendments. If there is a consensus on certain aspects in the Land Bill, which are better than what we have suggested, we are ready to accept them.”

Singh stressed that the issue was simply politicised. “This (controversy over the Land Bill) is an issue which affects 70 per cent of our country’s population. So, every single political party wants to capitalise on it. It is this 70 per cent of the population, which can make or mar the future of all political parties. They are least bothered about the amendments. Congress president Sonia Gandhi has on record said that they will accept nothing other than the original 2013 Act. This is just plain politics,” he said.

With a united Opposition rallying against the Bill, what hope does his party have on its clearance in the Upper House? “In the Rajya Sabha, we are in minority. But if you just go through the last three enactments – Insurance Bill, Mines and Minerals Bill and Coal Bill – they have been cleared by the Upper House. This is because they (the Opposition) later realised that what they were doing was going against the interest of the country,” said the minister.

Singh said he was hopeful that the Opposition would come around this time too and ensure that the Land Bill is passed. “At one point of time, the Congress supported the Insurance Bill as they were going to introduce it, but then the elections were near and they could not do so. Later, they even came around and did not oppose it. I hope that with the same spirit the entire Opposition will realise that when the Land Bill is discussed in the Rajya Sabha, its every clause is pro-farmer,” he said.

What is your take on the mega Kisan Rally being planned by the Congress this Sunday?
“If you analyse, you will notice that farmers have not been involved in these agitations so far. These are just NGOs and not even so much of political parties. For example if some rally has to be successful in Delhi, it will be because of the presence of crowd from Haryana. As you can bring in 1-2 lakh people from there. Om Prakash Chautala’s Indian National Lok Dal is not participating in these agitations and the Congress is not that enthusiastic in Haryana to be in the forefront as they think Anna Hazare might take over it,” he said.

Slamming the Opposition, the minister said, “I know the psyche of farmers. They are least interested in this. But I must admit that there is a very vicious propaganda against our party. The propaganda is if this bill is passed, the entire land will be government land this is what they (Opposition) are trying to make out of it.”
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