LJP seeks clarity over some provisions of land law

New Delhi, Feb 25: The chorus against the land acquisition law within NDA grew louder today with Union minister Ram Vilas Paswan-led LJP voicing concern over some provisions and demanding more clarity from the government.

Party MP Chirag Paswan said LJP was concerned about provisions like doing away with the consent of farmers for acquiring their land in the amended law, which the NDA government brought by an ordinance and has now introduced a bill in Lok Sabha to seek parliamentary approval for it.

"We have objections over some measures. There are questions about the need of doing away with farmers' consent. They also will have no right to move court," he told reporters. The party had a meeting attended by all its six MPs, all from Bihar, where these concerns were raised. LJP put its views across in the meeting of NDA members yesterday, Paswan, who heads its parliamentary board, said.

When asked if his party wanted the government to reconsider these provisions, he said, "definitely". While industry needed to be encouraged for development, which was NDA's key poll plank, the government also needed to go by its another plank that is 'sabka sath, sabka vikas (with all, development for all)', he said, stressing on the need to convince farmers on the new law.

He said there was also a need to allay confusion over the clause providing farmers compensation of four times to the rate of land. There is a disparity in the government rate and actual rate and they are not sure whether compensation would be fixed according to the former or the latter, he said.

PTI