Congress claims victory on NDA's Land bill U-turn, says centre 'wasted eight months'

NEW DELHI: The NDA government's capitulation on the controversial land acquisition ordinance has marked the first major political victory of the opposition since the Narendra Modi-led alliance took charge in May 2014.

The Modi government's decision to amend the law enacted by its predecessor UPA has ended up giving the Congress, routed in the Lok Sabha polls, an unexpected plank to not only launch a nationwide campaign led by the Gandhis against the NDA regime but also an opportunity to rally wider opposition unity among non-NDA parties.

Congress spokesman Abhishek Singhvi on Sunday said it was the widespread opposition from the Congress as well as other opposition parties and even some allies of the BJP that forced the Modi government to finally let its controversial ordinance lapse. Maintaining that the lapse of the ordinance marked the "return of the UPA's pro-farmers Land Acquisition Act", Singhvi charged the Centre with "wasting eight crucial months by pursuing the politics of obstinacy and ego" by refusing to heed to the opposition's advice on the land bill.

Jairam Ramesh, rural development minister in the UPA regime, described as "satyameva jayate, tathastu ( truth alone triumphs, so be it)" the Modi regime buckling under pressure on the ordinance. The Congress also questioned the "jai jawan-jai kisan' theme of the PM's radio broadcast 'Mann ki Baat' on Sunday. For the PM and the government the slogan 'jai jawan-jai kisan' has mere ornamental value, with no conviction of faith, said Singhvi.

"That is why for the last eight months the same Modi government tried to persist with an anti-farmer land acquisition ordinance," said Singhvi.