Ready to back Land Bill but with riders, says YSR Congress

HYDERABAD: YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) today said it may support the Land Acquisition Bill in Parliament if the Modi government accepts the changes suggested by it in the contentious legislation.

"Right from the beginning we have been opposing forcible acquisition of land from farmers. We also believe fertile or multi-crop lands should not be taken away.

"We requested the government to conduct social impact assessment before acquiring land. If the government considers our suggestions we won't mind supporting the Bill," YSRCP leader M Rajamohan Reddy told .

The Bill to amend the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act, 2013 has got stuck because of opposition by various parties. A 30-member joint committee of Parliament is scrutinising the Bill.

During the Parliament session beginning early next week, the party would highlight issues such as vote-for-cash scam in which some Telugu Desam Party leaders are allegedly involved and death of 27 pilgrims in a stampede in Rajahmundry during Godavari Pushkaram, he said.

The Lok Sabha MP from Nellore, who is a leader of Parliamentary Party of YSRCP, said his party would ask the Centre to raise the minimum support prices of farm produce.

YSRCP chief Y S Jaganmohan Reddy has convened a meeting of his MPs later in the day to chalk out party's strategy during the Monsoon Session of Parliament.

YSR Congress will ask the BJP-led government to honour all the clauses laid down in the AP Reorganisation Act, including the one related to granting special status to the residuary Andhra Pradesh, Reddy added.