Land Bill: Political divide widens
31 March 2015 6:16 AM IST
Political divide on the contentious Land Acquisition Bill seems to be getting widened by the day with Union Minister Nitin Gadkari, inviting Congress president Sonia Gandhi for a debate on Monday. On the other hand, the Congress has planned to time the return of its Vice-President Rahul Gandhi, who has been missing in action for over a month, to address a farmers’ rally at the Ramlila Grounds on April 19.
The rally, being organised by the Congress, has been timed just two days ahead of the recommencement of Parliament session. “The rally will set the tone and tenor of our opposition to the Bill in Parliament,” said a senior Congress leader, adding that leaders from other like-minded parties could also be invited to the event.
Meanwhile, the Congress President has started building-up for the rally by visiting farmers in her constituency at Rae Bareli in Uttar Pradesh and other areas.
Regional parties too have started showing their preferences on the contentious Land Bill. The Trinamool Congress (TMC) on Monday said that it would oppose the NDA government’s Land Acquisition Bill with all its “might”. The party has termed the Bill as “draconian”, legitimising forcible acquisition of land.
The TMC said its support for the Mines and Minerals Bill in Parliament earlier this month should not be taken as its approval for the Land Bill too. The party’s chief national spokesperson, Derek O’brien, said, “We strongly oppose the Land Acquisition Bill.”
However, there were indications that the AIADMK might support the Bill. Facing flak for supporting the Centre’s controversial Bill in the Lok Sabha, the AIADMK on Monday said that the legislation was against the welfare of people and insisted that party chief Jayalalithaa would not back any move that was inimical to people’s interests. Chief Minister O Panneerselvam reiterated Jayalalithaa’s statement that the party supported the Narendra Modi government’s Land Bill only after its suggested amendments against land acquisition for private hospitals and colleges were accepted by the Union government.
When K Balakrishnan (CPI-M) raised the issue in the Tamil Nadu Assembly, the chief minister said the UPA government’s Land Acquisition Act ‘interfered’ with states’ rights and that his party had mentioned it in the Rajya Sabha, while opposing it in 2013.
The rally, being organised by the Congress, has been timed just two days ahead of the recommencement of Parliament session. “The rally will set the tone and tenor of our opposition to the Bill in Parliament,” said a senior Congress leader, adding that leaders from other like-minded parties could also be invited to the event.
Meanwhile, the Congress President has started building-up for the rally by visiting farmers in her constituency at Rae Bareli in Uttar Pradesh and other areas.
Regional parties too have started showing their preferences on the contentious Land Bill. The Trinamool Congress (TMC) on Monday said that it would oppose the NDA government’s Land Acquisition Bill with all its “might”. The party has termed the Bill as “draconian”, legitimising forcible acquisition of land.
The TMC said its support for the Mines and Minerals Bill in Parliament earlier this month should not be taken as its approval for the Land Bill too. The party’s chief national spokesperson, Derek O’brien, said, “We strongly oppose the Land Acquisition Bill.”
However, there were indications that the AIADMK might support the Bill. Facing flak for supporting the Centre’s controversial Bill in the Lok Sabha, the AIADMK on Monday said that the legislation was against the welfare of people and insisted that party chief Jayalalithaa would not back any move that was inimical to people’s interests. Chief Minister O Panneerselvam reiterated Jayalalithaa’s statement that the party supported the Narendra Modi government’s Land Bill only after its suggested amendments against land acquisition for private hospitals and colleges were accepted by the Union government.
When K Balakrishnan (CPI-M) raised the issue in the Tamil Nadu Assembly, the chief minister said the UPA government’s Land Acquisition Act ‘interfered’ with states’ rights and that his party had mentioned it in the Rajya Sabha, while opposing it in 2013.
Next Story
