NEW DELHI: A determined Opposition, stiff resistance from almost all opposition parties and allies Shiv Sena and SAD, and a few wrong moves by BJP managers on the floor of the House forced the Modi government to refer the controversial Land Acquisition Bill to a joint parliamentary committee on Tuesday, a day before the end of the Budget session.
The government had failed to get the land Bill passed in the previous attempt too as it faced stiff resistance from opposition parties and the two allies. Scene was no different this time too.
Sources claim “the referral to a joint parliamentary committee” is part of a strategy to convene a joint sitting of the Parliament and get the Bill passed during the next session which is likely to take place after a couple of months. By then Modi’s team will be able to persuade some regional parties to change side.
Leading the charge from the front on Tuesday, Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi launched a scathing attack on PM Modi and his Council of Ministers whom he called anti-farmer and accused of working for the interest of big corporate houses looting poor in broad daylight.
The House witnessed acrimonious scenes and heated exchange of words during a short debate on the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition Rehabilitation and Resettlement (second) Amendment Bill with a number of changes in the Act brought by the UPA government in 2013.
Rejecting the charges that the bill was anti-farmer, Union Rural Development Minister Birender Singh said it is a necessity to ensure smooth development of the nation. A day earlier, PM Modi had confessed that his party had committed a mistake by supporting the legislation during the UPA regime in a hurry, and his government would rectify those mistakes.
In reply, Rahul said Tuesday his party will leave no stone unturned to foil any attempt by Modi’s “suit-boot ki sarkar” to “grab” farmers’ land. “Why the government is in a hurry to pass this bill,” he asked, adding “is it because it wanted to acquire land for industrialist “friends” and crony capitalists?”
BJP allies Shiv Sena and Akali Dal demanded that the bill be sent to a joint parliamentary committee as AIADMK, TMC, BJD and the Left also opposed the move.
“Its passage will not happen so easily. If we are not able to stop it here (in Parliament), we will hit the streets against it outside,” said Rahul. Taking a jibe at the Modi government, Rahul said an economist had told him that thieves wearing suits now strike during daylight, inviting strong protests from the treasury benches.
Hitting back, Minister Birender Singh said, “what was wrong in wearing an expensive suit by the son of a farmer or a poor person?…You can ask Madhav Rao Scindia.”
Singh later apologised for inadvertently mentioning Madhav Rao’s name as his son and Congress MP Jyotiraditya Scindia and other party members trooped into the Well of the House, leading to adjournment of the Lok Sabha for a short while.
Members of the Joint Committee: K V Thomas, Rajiv Satav (both Congress), Anand Rao Adsul (Shiv Sena), Kaltan Banerjee (Trinamool Congress), B Mahtab (BJD), Mohammad Salim (CPI-M), Chirag Paswan (LJP) and S S Ahluwalia, Udit Raj, Anurag Thakur, Ganesh Singh (all BJP). The names of the 10 Rajya Sabha members will be announced later.
