Parliamentary Affairs Minister M Venkaiah Naidu takes on Congress on land bill issue

NEW DELHI: Terming the Congress opposition to the land bill as "anti-development and anti-farmer", Parliamentary Affairs Minister M Venkaiah Naidu today said the farmers are intelligent enough to understand it.

"Yet another instance of display of their anti-development and anti-farmer attitude...Farmers are intelligent enough and are watching," he tweeted.

Opposing the land bill, Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi has said that the party would not allow an inch of land to be acquired from farmers and made it clear that they are not in favour of the bill.

Attacking Rahul without naming him, he said the Congress- led government had given more than 20 lakhs acres of farmers' land to industrialists and SEZs without proper compensation.

"Congress leaders say they will not allow an inch of land to be acquired forgetting the fact that their government gave away more than 20 lakhs acres of farmers' land to industrialists and SEZs without proper compensation," Naidu said on the social networking site.

He further said, "Not allowing an inch of land to be acquired means not willing to allow an inch of development."

On Rahul poking fun at Prime Minister Narendra Modi over his "56 inch chest", Naidu asked Congress to introspect as to why their strength was reduced from once 440 seats in Lok Sabha to a "humiliating 40".

"Before bringing down the PM Modi's chest from 56 inches to 5.6 inches, Congress should introspect why it has been brought down from once 440 seats to humiliating 40 by the people," he said.