It’s the third time that the Union Cabinet has recommended the land ordinance to be re-promulgated. Next week the ordinance will cease to operate if not converted into law, since it will be completion of six weeks after the date of assembly.
This controversial bill’s passage is stalled by the Congress in the Rajya Sabha (Upper House of the Parliament) since day one with Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi protesting vehemently against it, both inside and outside the Parliament.
The President has given his assent for the re-promulgation of the bill irrespective of the opposition fighting tooth and nail against its passage. The Union Cabinet of Narendra Modi is insisting it will ensure continuity and farmers won’t suffer like they did earlier and will be well compensated well against the land acquired.
This land acquisition bill is an amended version of the land bill introduced by UPA in 2013. It’s already passed by the Lok Sabha (Lower House of Parliament) but is stuck in Rajya Sabha. Since December, this ordinance has been promulgated twice already. The Congress is continuing its attack on the bill, stating it as anti-farmer and anti-poor and that the BJP has scrapped an important clause from the bill that will benefit industries and real-estate players.
Congress is arguing on the fact that, earlier bill introduced by UPA required consent of 80% of land owners for obtaining land for private projects and consent of 70% of land owners for obtaining land for PPP projects, while the current Bill introduced by BJP has removed 5 categories from the purview of the act.
Rahul Gandhi tweeted; “Congress Party will continue to fight for the rights of the kisan and mazdoor against this “suitbootkisarkar” while senior leader Jairam Ramesh, who was the Rural Development Minister during UPA, said Modi government has insulted the Parliament by re-promulgating a bill that is already being looked at by a Joint Parliamentary Committee.
Adding flavors to opposition, Nitish Kumar also made his voice heard in a small sentence that the government is trying to snatch away land from farmers.
