NEW DELHI: Farmers organisations, including BKU, today staged a massive protest, demanding that Centre must take assent of 100 per cent farmers before land acquisition and the same should be done only for public purposes.
Farmers gathered in droves at Jantar Mantar in the heart of the national capital under the banner of various farmer unions affiliated to India Coordination Committee of Farmers Movement (AICCFM).
"Government introduced these amendments in the land acquisition bill without taking farmers into confidence...Our very basic demand is that all those farmers whose land would be acquired, their assent is must before acquiring," Bhartiya Kisan Union (BKU) President Naresh Tikat told reporters here.
He added that farmers do not want to obstruct development of the country, but they will continue to protest until government withdraws this bill or at least they get some assurance regarding their demands.
"And in any case, fertile land should not be acquired and only for public purposes land can be acquired. No land can be taken for private or even public-private projects," Tikat said.
Joining the protest and terming the bill as anti-farmer, AAP Leader Yogendra Yadav said farmers have been cheated by this government over this bill.
"They (BJP) are in power because of farmers and now you are cheating them. History has shown those who ignore farmers and go against them, have not been spared by farmers."
"Leave aside farmers' land, can government purchase or sell any other land without the approval of its owner? Then why they are not ready to take farmers assent before selling their land," Yadav said.
Raising other major issues related to farmers, BKU General Secretary Yudhvir Singh said all the recommendations of Swaminathan Commission should be implemented including giving 150 per cent of the cost of production as assured selling price to farmers.
Meanwhile, the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement (Amendment) Bill 2015 has already been passed in Lok Sabha.