Congress will continue to oppose Land Bill: Jairam Ramesh

Ramesh also dubbed as "totally rubbish" the claim of Prime Minister Narendra Modi that under the 2013 Act, it will not be possible to acquire land for hospitals, schools and roads among others and clarified that there was no bar on acquiring land for government, including defence projects.

"We are against the amendments made in the 2013 Land Act by the Modi government through Ordinance without calling an all-party meeting, despite the fact that it was passed with the consent of all parties," he told reporters here.

"In the current scenario, it is impossible for this Bill to get passed in the Rajya Sabha as the SP, BSP, JD(U), TMC, DMK and even NDA allies like Shiv Sena and Akali Dal are opposed to it," the senior Congress leader said.

The Congress is opposing these amendments on five grounds, he said.

Elaborating further, he said the Bill dilutes the consent clause of securing consent of 80 percent farmers for acquiring land for private companies and 70 percent for projects to be implemented on PPP (Public, Private Partnership) mode.

The present Bill dilutes provisions of Social Impact Assessment for private projects to check the practice of acquiring land for a government project and handing over to private players after sometime, he said.

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Congress, Trinamool demand judicial probe into farmer's suicide

Congress leader in the Lok Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge hoped that the government will institute a judicial probe into the incident."An inquiry by police will be one-sided," Kharge said.

He urged the government to spell out relief steps for farmers in terms of loan waiver, compensation and minimum support price.

Trinamool Congress MP Saugata Roy also demanded a judicial inquiry."The home minister should order a judicial inquiry as to why nobody reacted and the drama was played out in full view," he said.

Gajendra Singh, a farmer from Rajasthan whose crops were destroyed by unseasonal rain, hanged himself from a tree here during the AAP rally on Wednesday, held to protest against the controversial land ordinance.

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Congress criticism on ordinances like devil quoting scriptures: BJP

Bringing out the past record of previous Congress regimes, the ruling party cited a record number of ordinances were issued during the time and the opposition parties had no right to accuse them of "murder of democracy"

The BJP also armed its MPs with records of previous regimes on ordinances and asked them to "expose" those criticising them before the crucial land bill is taken up for passage in Parliament.

"Congress party criticising the Ordinance route is like a devil quoting scriptures. Their record is worse. They have issued ordinances umpteen number of times. 456 ordinances were issued in last 50 years," Parliamentary Affairs Minister M Venkaiah Naidu quoted.

He cited while 77 ordinances were issued during Jawaharlal Nehru's time, as many as 77 ordinances were issued during six years of Indira Gandhi's regime, when three ordinances were issued every two months and 35 ordinances were issued during Rajiv Gandhi's time.

"CPI-M-supported United Front regime issued 77 ordinances, three ordinances per month. Bills passed are only 61 and 77 ordinances were issued by the United Front government which was ably supported by the Communist party, which is taking objection to the issuance of ordinances, which was done after wider consultations after taking stakeholders into confidence," he added.

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Kisan rally not comeback platform for Rahul: Congress

Congress spokesperson Deepender Singh Hooda also sought to justify party Vice President Rahul Gandhi's nearly two-month-long sabbatical and absence from parliament, saying: "It's the prerogative of the media and the people to interpret whatever they can, but the fact remains that this is the fight for the farmers. It's a rally for the rights of the farmers," Singh, a Rohtak MP, told mediapersons here.

"Besides putting pressure on the Narendra Modi government for withdrawal of the bill, we will demand higher compensation for farmers hit by unseasonal rains,” he said.

Having remained out of the public eye for nearly two months, Rahul Gandhi, who returned to his official residence in Delhi on Thursday morning, is slated to spearhead the kisan (farmer) rally on Sunday.

Hooda also sought to defend Gandhi's absence from parliament when the bill was being discussed, saying: "Rahul's 2011 agitation in Bhatta Parsaul (Uttar Pradesh) against forcible land acquisition culminated in the enactment of the Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act, 2013. He played a major role in formulating the original bill."

“And so far as his absence is concerned, I have never come across any professional who has not taken a break. The party has already given answers on his break so I don't think there is anything more to say," Hooda added. 

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Lakhvi's release unfortunate, disappointing: Rajnath Singh

"India wants talks with Pakistan but the present development (release of Lakhvi) is unfortunate and disappointing," he told reporters on the sidelines of a function here.

Singh was reacting to the Lahore High Court's judgement on Thursday suspending the detention of 55-year-old Lakhvi under Maintenance of Public Order after the Pakistan government failed to present sensitive records against him in the court.

Asked about alliance partners PDP-BJP in Jammu and Kashmir speaking in different voices on composite townships for settlement of Kashmiri Pandits in the Valley, Singh said, "An agreement has been reached with Chief Minister MuftiMohammad Sayeed in this regard."

On the killing of five undertrials, who were allegedly associated with SIMI and other radical groups, in police custody in Nalgonda district in Telangana, he evaded giving a direct reply, 

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Opposition to Land Bill nothing but public posturing: BJP

Opposition  had even written to Gadkari stating that the social impact assessment should be left to the states to decide, Patra cited.

"What the BJP government has to do? In keeping with the right principles of federalism, this government said as far as the consent clause is concerned, social impact assessment is concerned, let the competent authority - the states take a decision. If the states want a particular project they can do away with the consent of the 40-50 percent because the states are the best judge. We empowered the states," the BJP spokesperson explained.

Petra's comment came in the backdrop of severe opposition to the land Bill brought by the BJP government.

"This opposition is nothing but a public posturing to prove that the Land bill is anti-farmer and pro-corporates. They (parties opposed to the bill) don't fight in the closed door standing committee meeting. They are only fighting in the floor of Parliament when there

e cameras," Patra told a program organised by Indian Chamber of Commerce (ICC) here.

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Government not averse to more amendments to Land Bill: Nitin Gadkari

"We are not averse to more amendments to the Land Bill provided they are good and substantial in nature. There is no restriction on fresh changes," Road Transport and Highways Minister Gadkari said.

But at the same time, he cautioned that amendments aimed at delaying the measure and scoring political points against the government would certainly not be considered.
  
"We accepted nine amendments to the bill after discussion in the Lok Sabha. We are obviously open to new changes," he said.

Asked about NDA government's lack of numbers in the Rajya Sabha, Gadkari said that he is hopeful of getting support from the Upper House.
  
"I believe members will support the Bill in Rajya Sabha. Let us hope positively. We are confident," he said. Amendments to the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act, 2014 have been approved by the Lok Sabha but could not be passed in the Rajya Sabha as the ruling NDA government is short of numbers in the Upper House.
  
However, pending the passage of the amendment bill by Parliament, the Ordinance was re-promulgated to ensure continuity in legislation.
    

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Congress spreading disinformation about land bill: BJP

As far as the land bill is concerned, "we are worried about the disinformation campaign. It is against facts", BJP spokesperson Nirmala Sitharaman told the media.

"We are confident about the amendments brought by us and about Prime Minister Narendra Modi directly engaging with people and explaining the points on radio.

We are willing to discuss with anyone," she said as the BJP national executive's two-day meet took place here.Sitharaman said the BJP will go to the people to ask whether the amendments are anti-farmer.

"It is a disinformation campaign which particularly the Congress is trying to spread.""While they have refused to answer questions on distribution of coal blocks, every step of what we are doing is being explained to the people," she added.

"BJP will reveal the facts at every village," she said.The controversial land acquisition ordinance was re-promulgated on Friday after President Pranab Mukherjee gave his assent to it.

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Land Bill in focus on second day of BJP national executive meet

The party, in its strategy meet on Saturday, will adopt a political resolution that is likely to mention the Land Bill.

A power point presentation on the bill is also scheduled for the day, sources said.

The resolution will also make a comment on the 10 months of the working of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government.

Also on Friday, BJP had said it will launch a mass contact programme to dispel "myths and propaganda" spread by the Opposition and engage farmers in dialogue even as it insisted that it remains open to changes suggested by rival parties and farmers.

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CCPA to decide today on proroguing Parliament to repromulgate land ordinance

Sources said that a meeting of the CCPA this evening will take a final decision on the matter.

With the land acquisition ordinance set to lapse on April 5, indications are that the government may be heading towards its repromulgation and that at least one of the Houses could be prorogued for the purpose.

Parliament, in its Budget session, is currently on a month-long recess. For issuing an ordinance when the Parliament is in session, at least one of the Houses has to be prorogued.

The repromulgated ordinance will carry the nine official amendments moved by the government during passage of the Bill, which seeks to replace the executive order.

Sources said that senior ministers assigned responsibility to consult leaders of the various political parties have reached out to key leaders and the government will try its best to bring the land Bill in Rajya Sabha to replace the Ordinance in the second half of the Budget session after it reconvenes on April 20.

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Re-promulgation of Land Ordinance not ruled out

The government, which is mulling various options, meanwhile, took post-facto approval from the Union Cabinet to the nine amendments which have been included in a bill that was cleared by Lok Sabha and is pending before Rajya Sabha.       

A hint about re-promulgation of the Ordinance, that was initially issued in December last, was given by Rural Development Minister Birender Singh, who told reporters in Chandigarh that the Ordinance could be re-issued.     

"You know that the Ordinance is going to lapse on April 5. Rajya Sabha has not passed it. May be it (Ordinance) will be re-promulgated," he said when asked about the fate of the controversial Ordinance which a bill seeks to replace.
   
In Delhi, Parliamentary Affairs Minister M Venkaiah Naidu dismissed as "speculation" the reports that the government may allow the ordinance to lapse on April 5.
   
"I have seen in certain quarters today that Land Acquisition Ordinance may be allowed to lapse. These are speculation. Government has not taken any such decision to allow Land Acquisition Ordinance to lapse," Naidu told reporters here.

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Land Bill: Opposition, in leadership of Sonia Gandhi, marches towards Rashtrapati Bhawan

Congress president Sonia Gandhi led the march which include a galaxy of politicians such as former prime ministers Manmohan Singh and H D Devegowda, JD-U President Sharad Yadav, CPI-M's Sitaram Yechury, CPI's D Raja, Trinamool Congress leader Dinesh Trivedi, SP's Ramgopal Yadav, DMK's Kanimozhi, INLD's Dushyant Chautala and RJD's Prem Chand Gupta.

Sources in the Opposition said Congress is playing a key role in the protest including the finalization of the draft of the memorandum, which will be submitted to President Pranab Mukherjee on Tuesday evening.

Sonia's attending the Opposition march on Tuesday is significant as neither she nor Rahul Gandhi on sabbatical, was here on Monday to lead the Congress protest against Land Acquisition at Jantar Mantar, which was a culmination of its padyatra from Bhatta Parsaul village that began four days back.

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