Land Acquisition Bill: Opposition puts Modi government on notice

NEW DELHI: The Modi government was today put on notice by a determined opposition over the controversial Land Acquisition Bill with the Congress accusing Prime Minister Narendra Modi's "personal adamance" for a showdown.

AICC Communication department in charge Randip Surjewala also said that BJP leaders having reservations over the measure have become "mute spectator" due to "personal adamance" of Modi to push the bill in its present form.

Alleging that the measure was "draconian, anti-poor and pro-industrialists", he said that the country was facing an agrarian crisis with the "breach of promise" by the Prime Minister to implement the Swaminathan Committee report coupled with inclement weather.

He claimed that the country is set to witness negative growth in agriculture with government failing to give even last year's price for several crops including paddy and cotton.

Surjewala's remarks were significant indicating that the reaching out by the government with various political parties on the measure earlier in the day has not made any headway.

His remarks came on a day when Rural Development Minister Birender Singh moved the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement (Amendment) Bill 2015, for consideration and passage in the Lok Sabha.

The amendments seeks to exempt social impact surveys for land acquisition for five purposes including industrial corridor, rural infrastructure and housing for poor.

Congress is insisting that it wants "no changes" in the 2013 Land Act. It has been accusing the Prime Minister and the government of killing the soul and spirit of the Act.