Land Acquisition Act in Lok Sabha today, Modi govt expected to bring significant changes

New Delhi: With opposition growing shrill, the government is all set to bring in a significant change in the Land Acquisition Act. It is learnt that the consent of 70 per cent of the farmers, whose land is being acquired would be mandatory before the acquisition.

If the government went ahead with the amendment, it would be accommodating this clause which was one of the key feature in the Land Acquisition Bill introduced by the UPA regime, where consent of majority of the land owners was mandatory.

This option was discussed during a meeting at the residence of the Union home minister, Mr Rajnath Singh on Monday evening. Earlier in the day, the home minister also discussed the issue with Prime Minister, Mr. Narendra Modi.

The BJP leaders were of the opinion that by bringing this amendment the government would not only accommodate a key demand of the farmers but also blunt social activist Anna Hazare's agitation against the Land ordinance at Jantar Mantar which began on Monday. The Congress has moved a notice for suspension of question hour in Rajya Sabha on Tuesday to discuss the land ordinance issue.

The Bill (Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition Rehabilitation and Resettlement Amendment Bill-2015) is listed for introduction in Lok Sabha on Tuesday. Government's move to go ahead with the Land Ordinance faced a major hurdle with Delhi chief minister, Mr. Arvind Kejriwal and his estranged mentor, Anna Hazare deciding to come together against the move after a gap of over two years.

Launching a blistering attack on the Narendra Modi government, Hazare described the ordinance as a “weapon for land grab.” He said, “Britishers used to do it. This government is worse than the British.” Taking a jibe at the Prime Minister, Hazare further said, “achche din has come for the corporates not the farmers and the common man.”