HYDERABAD: At a time when the ruling BJP is planning to launch nationwide rallies from May 6 to drum up support for the contentious Land Acquisition Bill, which has been stuck in Parliament with the Congress-led opposition stonewalling its passage in the Rajya Sabha, former Union minister and senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh made it clear that the Bill would not be passed in the Rajya Sabha at any cost.
He also called upon BJP’s ally TDP and also the TRS to oppose the Land Acquisition Bill. “If both the parties are pro-farmers, then they should join us and oppose the Bill. If they are anti-farmers, they could go ahead and support the Bill,” he said.
Speaking to reporters here on Friday, Jairam termed the Bill as anti-farmer and said his party along with several others had been opposing the changes proposed by the BJP-led NDA government and would see that it was defeated in the Rajya Sabha.
“In no way the government will be able to push the Bill in the Rajya Sabha. We will obstruct it as many times as it is brought there,” he said.
Accusing NDA government of working for the interest of corporate houses, the senior Congress leader said the amendments proposed by the BJP government would do away with clauses in the 2013 Act such as taking the consent of 80 per cent of farmers and payment of compensation with retrospective effect in case of the farmers who do not accept it as per the 1894 Act.
Explaining the reason for his party opposing the amendments brought by the Centre in the Land Acquisition Bill, Jairam said the removal of clause such as doing away with the social impact assessment, land acquired from the farmers would go back to them if it was not utilised for the intended purpose within five years and giving rights to the government to acquire land up to 1 km on either side of industrial corridors for handing it over to private developers were the main reason for his party opposing the Bill.
“If it is implemented, the farmers would lose heavily,” he said.