23 February 2015
Anti-corruption activist, Anna Hazare, launched his two day protest against the Land Acquisition Act, 2013 at Jantar Mantar today. This coincides with the commencement of the Budget Session of the Parliament.
He said that this ordinance is in favour of industrialist and against farmers.
The Land Acquisition Act, 2013 required mandatory consent of at least 70 per cent of land owners for acquiring land for Public Private Partnership (PPP) projects and 80 per cent for acquiring land for private companies.
In December last year, the government made significant changes in the Land Act. This included removal of consent clause for acquiring land for five specific areas – industrial corridors, PPP projects, rural infrastructure, affordable housing and defence.
He said that he will not allow AAP leaders to share the stage with him. It was reported that Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Kumar Vishwas will meet the veteran social activist on Monday over this Bill.
It was also reported that he will meet Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal today at the New Maharashtra Sadan in Delhi.
It is true that the ordnance may not be in the best interest of the formers. But the government also needs land for development projects that will improve the economy of the country. If the government provides alternative land to the farmers it should not be a major problem for the farmers.
Anna should concentrate on his ant-corruption campaign. If the government is clean, even if the law provides, it will not acquire land indiscriminately to the disadvantage of the farmers. What is more important is to have a corruption free clean government.
