NEW DELHI:Even as anti-corruption crusader Anna Hazare and other farmer groups are set to descend here protest against the proposed amendments in the Land Acquisition Bill, ahead of Parliament’s Budget session beginning on Sunday, senior BJP leaders met here to discuss its fallout.
Sources indicated that the government may revise some of the amendments of the Bill, when it is taken up for discussion in the House, to placate the farmers, and the Opposition parties.
The meeting held at the party office attended by BJP chief Amit Shah, Home Minister Rajnath Singh, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Venkaiah Naidu, Telecom Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad, Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu, MoS (Parliamentary Affairs) Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi among others, discussed ways to counter the onslaught of motley groups and the Opposition parties who would use the occasion, during the Budget session to corner the government.
As the Opposition parties are expected to come together on the issue of Land Acquisition Bill, the senior leaders are learnt to have discussed ways to dispel the notion that the government is harming the interests of the farming community.
Even some of the RSS affiliated bodies have also expressed concern over the proposed amendments, which they said were intended to benefit only the corporate sector. The government has already listed the Bill to be tabled in the Lok Sabha on Tuesday. Sources said the government may revise some of the changes proposed in the Amendment Bill. While some new provisions may be introduced, some may be dropped from the Bill to placate the protesters and the Opposition parties.
Sources said the government would engage with the protesters, while as a strategy it may revise amendments, if any, during the discussion on the Bill in the House. Senior leaders have discussed a host of issues that are likely to come up during the Budget session. The BJP will have to try to explain to the people the reasons behind the changes.