Modi government only posing as being pro-farmer: All India Kisan Mazdoor Sabha

NEW DELHI: Accusing the BJP-led government at the Centre of "only posing as being pro-peasantry", a farmers' body held a protest here today demanding that it withdraw the land Ordinance and also drop the changes proposed to the 2013 land Act brought in by the previous UPA dispensation.

Joining the league of outfits opposed to the government on the Land Ordinance issue, the All India Kisan Mazdoor Sabha (AIKMS) staged a demonstration at Jantar Mantar here demanding that the changes proposed to the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act, 2013, be withdrawn immediately.

"We have gathered here to protest against the Ordinance, which we want to be withdrawn. We also want the government to not make any changes to the 2013 Land Acquisition Act which was brought in by the UPA government," said AIKMS secretary Ashish Mital.

Mital charged that the government's claims that the proposed changes would benefit farmers were untrue.

" BJP is only posing as being pro-peasantry. But its anti- people character is clear from all its claims. No acquisition (as mentioned in the Ordinance) is required for irrigation canals, rural houses and roads (as the government maintains)," Mital said.

Stating that the land acquired for industry often remains unused, AIKMS suggested that the government should focus on improving the condition of the industrial sector. It demanded that the Centre lower input prices, grant adequate profit in sale of crops and develop agricultural infrastructure.

AIKMS claimed that farmers from 10 states took part in the demonstration along with leaders of the Communist Party of India (Marxist-Leninist) New Democracy.