Mamata Banerjee says Land Acquisition Ordinance 'draconian'

KOLKATA: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee today demanded immediate withdrawal of the Land Acquisition Ordinance, terming it as 'draconian'.

"Immediately withdraw land ordinance. It is draconian. It will affect the farmers. We have always opposed this," the Trinamool Congress supremo said in a Twitter post.

"We do not support forceful land acquisition. I have gone on 26-day hunger strike in the past for this cause," she said.

The controversial Land Acquisition Bill was introduced by the central government in the Lok Sabha today amid vociferous protests by the entire Opposition.

Trinamool Congress, which had rode to power in the 2011 West Bengal Assembly polls with the anti-land acquisition stand as one of its main planks, opposed the Ordinance in both Houses of Parliament during the day.