Will let Land Ordinance lapse, govt open to suggestions: Narendra Modi

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in a virtual admission of defeat, on Sunday announced that the Land Ordinance will not be repromulgated and it will expire on August 31.

Though the government had earlier issued an order on August 28 saying it will allow the ordinance to lapse, with the PM personally making the announcement, the effect is going to be more profound. Addressing the nation during his monthly radio talk show “Mann Ki Baat”, Mr Modi conceded that once the Land Ordinance lapses, the situation will be as it was before the NDA government came to power in May 2014.

In other words, he declared that the Centre will compensate farmers under the provisions of the Land Acquisition (Amendment) Act, 2013, the brainchild of the Congress-led UPA government. The PM’s admission is being seen a clear victory for the Congress, that stalled Parliament’s Monsoon Session and termed the NDA government ordinance as “anti-farmer”.

Deccan Chronicle had reported on August 23 that the Centre, not willing to be seen hurting farmers’ interests, particularly with the Bihar Assembly polls approaching, would allow the ordinance to lapse. Mr Modi tried to salvage the situation by saying the government was ready to incorporate any suggestion that may benefit farmers, in the legislation brought in by his government and which is pending in the Rajya Sabha.

The government had issued the ordinance thrice so far as the Land Bill could not be passed in Parliament due to stiff resistance by most of the opposition parties as well as some NDA allies.