New Delhi: Yet another RSS-affiliate Swadeshi Jagran Manch (SJM) on Tuesday slammed the Land Acquisition Bill brought by the NDA government, saying it contains "several detestable and unacceptable sections".
Appearing before the Joint Committee of Parliament, which is examining the controversial legislation, SJM delegation led by its national convenor Ashwani Mahajan criticised the doing away of consent clause and social impact assessment provisions in the bill.
The four-member delegation said the consent of farmers should be ensured before land acquisition of any kind and it should also have a comprehensive assessment about need, social and environmental impact of the land acquisition before land acquisition, sources said.
The SJM said the NDA government brought the Ordinance to replace the 2013 Land Act in "undue hurry" and that the bill contains several "several detestable and unacceptable sections". SJM joins other RSS affilliates like Bhartiya Kisan Sangh, Bhartiya Mazdoor Sangh and Akhil Bhartiya Vanvasi Kalyan Ashram, which have already opposed the bill.
The panel has so far recorded the personal appearance of 52 individuals and organizations out of 510 representations it received. Sources said the panel will begin examining provisions of the bill clause wise in next few days. With SJM, almost all RSS affiliates have expressed their opposition to removal of consent clause and social impact assessment provisions in the new bill.
"Re-promulgated Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement (Amendment) Ordinance issued on April 3, 2015 contains several detestable and unacceptable sections, even after incorporation of several amendments that have been included in 2015 ordinance under intense public pressure," the Manch told the panel.
In its eight-point representation, it stressed that agricultural and forest land should not be allowed to be acquired for any other purpose in the interest of food security of the nation and that the "government should not own the responsibility of acquiring land for the neeeds of the private industries."
