UPA set to bring in land acquisition Bills

“We are impressing upon Mamata to understand that the existing land acquisition laws are completely against the farmers and,therefore,there is an urgent need for a new one,” said a senior Congress leader.

Mamata is learnt to have held a meeting of her party’s core group after being informed that the government was keen to go ahead with the Bills. The Trinamool Congress is reported to have proposed at least two amendments: a provision allowing farmers the right to get back the acquired land if the project fails to take off and complete transparency in land purchases made by private developers.

When contacted,senior Trinamool leader and Minister of State for Rural Development Sisir Adhikari indicated his party’s willingness to negotiate with the Congress for the passage of the Bills. “We too want a new land acquisition law. Our leader is holding discussions with UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi and we are hopeful that a law which will keep in view the interests of the poor farmers will be agreed upon. We are products of land movements and are committed to protect the interests of the farmers,” said Adhikari. He did not rule out the possibility of the Bills being introduced during the winter session.

Adhikari,however,refused to comment on the clause in the proposed Bills which allows the government to acquire 30 per cent of the total land after a private developer has purchased 70 per cent — a provision that was strongly opposed by Mamata. “Everything must be sorted out through talks. We want a popular law acceptable to the people,” he said.

Interestingly,the Union Cabinet had approved the Land Acquisition and Rehabilitation Bills,notwithstanding the stiff opposition from the Railway Minister. The Trinamool would not like a situation in which the Bills are introduced in Parliament despite its opposition. Significantly,the Left had supported the Bills in the 14th Lok Sabha,but they lapsed as they could not be introduced in the Rajya Sabha.