Land Acquisition ordinance authoritarian step: CPI(M)

NEW DELHI: Terming the Land Acquisition ordinance as an "authoritarian" step, CPI(M) today strongly opposed the move saying it surrenders the interests of peasants and land owners.

"The BJP government's decision to amend the provisions of the Land Acquisition Act through the ordinance route favours the interests of the corporates and real estate barons. The proposed amendment surrenders the genuine interests of the peasantry and land owners," the party Politburo said in a statement.

"This decision is in continuation of the ordinances passed on coal privatisation and raising the FDI in insurance.

"By taking recourse to ordinance raj, the BJP-led NDA government is undermining the essence of parliamentary democracy and showing authoritarian tendencies," the CPI(M) said.

It asked "all democratic forces" to oppose the "anti- democratic and authoritarian acts" of the Narendra Modi government.