BENGALURU: Amid stiff protest, sloganeering and a walk-out by the opposition Congress, the much-debated Karnataka Land Reforms Amendment Bill, which allows non-agriculturalists to buy farm land in the state, was passed in the Assembly on Saturday.
The Bill, however, was debated at length in the Council past midnight on Sunday before the House was finally adjourned at 12.58 am. The combined opposition of the Congress and the JDS, with more numbers than the ruling BJP, was insisting that the government withdraw Bill to protect the interests of farmers.
BJP MLC and party state general secretary N Ravi Kumar said, “We were confident that the Bill would be passed but the Chairman adjourned the House abruptly when the issue was being debated. The conduct of the Chairman raised questions,” he said.
Though the Bill can be taken up only when the Council meets next, the ordinance on land reforms will continue to be in force, sources explained. Earlier on Saturday, Revenue Minister R Ashoka, who steered the amendment Bill in the Assembly amid a scathing attack from the opposition which termed it a ‘death knell’ for the farm sector, specially the small and marginal farmers, said the provisions of the Act which restricted non- agriculturalists from purchasing agricultural land in the state were used by officers to harass people and were not helping farmers in any way. The amendment, which has been strongly opposed by farmers’ associations across the state, provides for removal of restriction on purchasing agricultural land and on its use for agricultural purposes only.
Amendment to land rules will end harassment of farmers, buyers: Min
In the amendment Bill, Sections 79 A (prohibition on acquisition of land by certain persons), 79 B (prohibition of holding agricultural land by certain persons), 79 C (penalty for failure to furnish declaration) and Section 80 (bar on transfers to non-agriculturists) have been repealed. However, the government made a minor change and decided that it will not go ahead with its earlier proposal to double the ceiling on land holdings from 10 units per family of five to 20 units, and a maximum of 40 units for a family having more than five members.
Citing the debates on the land reforms in the Assembly, Ashoka said several senior Congress leaders too had demanded repealing such provisions. In fact, a cabinet sub-committee, constituted in 2014 (when Siddaramaiah was the CM), had recommended the changes in the Act, he pointed out. The minister was responding to the opposition Congress, which had termed the government as ‘anti-farmer’.
Ashoka said that in the last 45 years, 83,171 cases of contention have been filed and the restrictions on buying land were used to harass farmers and those purchasing land. The amendment will put an end to such harassment and the process of land purchase will be smoother. All those cases will be abated as the Act has been brought with retrospective effect.
The minister also argued that the changes to the Act will help increase the area under cultivation and raise food production, help bring modern technology to the farm sector and also boost export of agri products from the state. The Bill was introduced to replace the ordinance promulgated in July this year.
During the debate, Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa said the government is fully committed to protecting the interests of farmers. “I will fully assure you that not even an acre of small farmers’ land and that allotted to Scheduled Caste/Scheduled Tribe farmers will be allowed to be transferred,” he said.
The amendment makes it clear that “no restrictions laid down in this Act shall be relaxed in respect of land granted under the Karnataka Schedule Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prohibition of Transfer of Certain Lands) Act, 1978 (Karnataka Act 2 of 1979).” It also makes it clear that “A-Class irrigated land shall be sold only for agriculture purposes, while the limit on income of the person purchasing the agriculture land has been done away with.
The Congress, however, was not convinced with the government’s reasoning. “This has been done with the only intention of helping corporates and housing societies,” said Opposition leader Siddaramaiah and termed it as “irregularities worth crores.” The former CM, who spoke at length about the changes, said it will have far-reaching implications on the agriculture sector.
Janata Dal (Secular) members did not join the Congress in the protest or walkout. Former CM H D Kumaraswamy said the provisions in the Act that are now repealed were used to harass him by filing a politically motivated case. JDS president and former PM H D Deve Gowda, however, had strongly opposed the amendment and had even taken part in the protest. On Monday, farmers’ associations have called for statewide bandh against the amendments.
What the changes to the law means
■ There will be no restriction on non-agriculturists from purchasing agriculture land.
■ Land prices may go up, especially around Bengaluru. Seen as an attempt to attract investment by simplifying the process
■ Cases booked for violation of the old provisions will now be abated.