Against forcible acquisition, says Mamata
9 April 2015 5:36 AM IST
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, seen as a champion of farmers due to her long agitation for farmer rights in Nandigram and Singur in the state, returned to the streets on Wednesday with a protest march against the Narendra Modi government’s controversial land ordinance.
The lower house of the Parliament has already passed the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement (Amendment) Bill, 2015, with nine amendments. However, it could not be passed in the Rajya Sabha where Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is in minority.
Mamata led her party MPs and MLAs in a march from Moulali to the Gandhi statue on Mayo Road in Kolkata to protest against the Bill which according to her will aid forcible land acquisition.
“We were the first to take up the issue of land acquisition. We have always said we are against forceful land acquisition. We will never bow down before any pressure. We are consistent in our land policy,” she said on the controversial ordinance that has seen a united opposition aggressively taking on the BJP government at the Centre.
Banerjee’s party came to power in 2011 riding a wave of popularity she gained because of the anti-land acquisition movements she led.
“The Trinamool Congress took shape because of its struggle against land grabbing. A farmer’s identity depends on his land. After his land is taken away, compensation doesn’t matter. How can we compromise on this ever?” party MP Sisir Adhikari told Millennium Post.
Interestingly, several parties have decided to protest the Centre’s land ordinance. The Congress has planned a huge rally at Delhi’s Ramlila Maidan, with Rahul Gandhi as the main speaker. RJD chief Lalu Prasad has promised a “Mahabharat-like battle” against the ordinance. Anti-corruption crusader Anna Hazare too has joined the land bill protests.
TMC sources said that the party will fight oppose the Bill tooth and nail within and outside the state. Bengal is also getting into election mode on April 18, when the civic polls for Kolkata will be fought between the Trinamool, BJP, CPM and Congress.
The lower house of the Parliament has already passed the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement (Amendment) Bill, 2015, with nine amendments. However, it could not be passed in the Rajya Sabha where Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is in minority.
Mamata led her party MPs and MLAs in a march from Moulali to the Gandhi statue on Mayo Road in Kolkata to protest against the Bill which according to her will aid forcible land acquisition.
“We were the first to take up the issue of land acquisition. We have always said we are against forceful land acquisition. We will never bow down before any pressure. We are consistent in our land policy,” she said on the controversial ordinance that has seen a united opposition aggressively taking on the BJP government at the Centre.
Banerjee’s party came to power in 2011 riding a wave of popularity she gained because of the anti-land acquisition movements she led.
“The Trinamool Congress took shape because of its struggle against land grabbing. A farmer’s identity depends on his land. After his land is taken away, compensation doesn’t matter. How can we compromise on this ever?” party MP Sisir Adhikari told Millennium Post.
Interestingly, several parties have decided to protest the Centre’s land ordinance. The Congress has planned a huge rally at Delhi’s Ramlila Maidan, with Rahul Gandhi as the main speaker. RJD chief Lalu Prasad has promised a “Mahabharat-like battle” against the ordinance. Anti-corruption crusader Anna Hazare too has joined the land bill protests.
TMC sources said that the party will fight oppose the Bill tooth and nail within and outside the state. Bengal is also getting into election mode on April 18, when the civic polls for Kolkata will be fought between the Trinamool, BJP, CPM and Congress.
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