Land law provisions 'alarming', farmers to parliamentary panel

NEW DELHI: Leaders from five farmer organisations today attacked the Modi government over provisions of the land ordinance saying the changes being brought in the 2013 land law are "alarming" and urged a parliamentary panel to recommend their withdrawal.

The farmer leaders, appearing before the Joint Committee of Parliament on land acquisition bill headed by S S Ahulwalia, voiced their strong reservations to a number of clauses in the ordinance including those pertaining to farmers' consent and retrospective aspect.

Representing Rashtriya Kisan Union and Kisan Mazdoor Sangathan from Uttar Pradesh, Kisan Jagriti Manch and Bhartiya Kisan Union from Haryana and Khet Bachao Jeewan Bachao Sangharsh Samiti from Bihar, the farmers questioned the rationale behind replacing the 2013 land law.

The panel, which started its meetings on May 29, met for the third time today to hear views of the stakeholders.

Those who met the panel included farmers from Bhatta Parsaul from where Rahul Gandhi had begun his agitation against their forcible land acquisition in 2011.

Rejecting government's claim that procedural difficulties in the acquisition of lands for important national projects needed to be mitigated and hence changes were required, the farmers said the clauses seeking exemption from consent and social impact assessment in five categories are "alarming".

When some members of the ruling party interrupted and tried to reason with the farmers about the need for the bill, Opposition members objected saying the farmers should be allowed to express their views openly, sources said.

At this, Ahluwalia asked the BJP MPs not to interrupt saying the representatives of farmers bodies have been called as the panel wants to hear them out thoroughly.

He also decided to send a questionnaire related to the provisions of the ordinance to the witnesses so that they can give their views on all the relevant points concerning the bill when the committee meets again on Monday.