Land Acquisition Bill: BJP to create more ‘in-house awareness’ about legislation

NEW DELHI: The Bharatiya Janata Party has decided to step up its outreach inside and outside the Sangh Parivar over the land bill, which was passed by the Lok Sabha but which was not even taken up for discussion in the Upper House, given the government’s minority status and wide opposition to it in the House.

BJP president Amit Shah made surprise visits to members of the much-neglected marg darshak mandal, senior leaders LK Advani and Murli Manohar Joshi.

“After yesterday’s meeting in Lucknow between senior leaders of the Sangh Parivar, there was a discussion on how to break the logjam,” said a source. The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh has cautioned BJP that the effect of the Opposition’s campaign on the legislation could affect its chances in Bihar, set to go to polls in late 2015. “It was decided that there was a need for more dialogue and any amendment, barring the dilution of the consent clause can be discussed by Sangh stakeholders, including the Bharatiya Kisan Sangh,” said a source in the party.

“The consent clause is non-negotiable, we can bring to the table clauses related to ramping up compensation amounts,” added the source.

Out of the nine amendments made by the government before Lok Sabha passed the bill to replace the ordinance, six were suggested by Sangh affiliates and the party’s own committee.

Transport minister Nitin Gadkari, and leaders with a more rural background like Hukum Deo Narayan Yadav may be pressed into service.

There was also some resentment that Union Rural Development Minister Choudhary Birender Singh was not proactive.

The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh men have fanned out to Bihar, in the run up to the elections for the state assembly since the organisation believes a political campaign built around land issues could be very effective for BJP’s rivals in a state which has 89% rural population.

“We are confident that our bill is just and fair, we have to exert ourselves to break the perception that it is pro-corporate,” said the source.

He also admitted that a mood should have been created before the ordinance was promulgated, since land is an explosive and emotional issue. “We want to jump start employment, that is also important,” said the source.