Venkaiah slams Congress over Land Bill criticism

Congress may be thinking it is stalling Prime Minister Narendra Modi, but it is actually the country’s progress, which the party is stalling through its stand on the Land Bill, the Parliamentary Affairs Minister said.

He also took a dig at Congress over its plan to mark its “victory” over the Land Ordinance issue with a rally after the Centre recently decided against <g data-gr-id="29">repromulgating</g> the same, asking whether the opposition party was commemorating the fall in its Lok Sabha tally to 44 seats.

“It is funny that the previous rulers, who looted lakhs of acres from farmers by forcibly taking away their lands for SEZs and real estate businessmen without paying adequate compensation now criticise the Modi government. They also announced they will hold a protest in Delhi tomorrow,” he said.

“Before criticising anything, it would be better if Congress leaders thought about what they did during their own rule,” Naidu said.

The previous Congress governments “handed” over lakhs of acres of farmers’ land to SEZs and realtors in Haryana, Karnataka, Maharashtra and undivided Andhra Pradesh, he alleged. “Congress will have to answer this; 79,000 acres only in Haryana. Similarly in Karnataka, Maharashtra and undivided Andhra Pradesh,” Naidu said.

He added: “They (Congress) claim victory. The fall of tally from 440 to 44 seats, is it the victory? Are you doing a rally for that?” 

The Centre sought to bring changes in the Land Acquisition Act only after holding consultations with state governments, he said, claiming that the Congress, too, had favoured the amendments. The Centre did not re-promulgate the Land Ordinance and decided to wait till a Joint Committee of Parliament submits its report on the Bill.

They think that they are stalling Modi, but they are actually stalling the country’s progress, he charged even as he cited a survey that 87% people are happy with the PM’s leadership.