Terming the Narendra Modi government "anti-farmer" and "pro-corporate", members of a coalition of peoples' movements, farmers' organisations and trade unions today held a protest here against the Land Acquisition Ordinance.
Activists from various outfits came together under the aegis of Bhumi Adhikar Andolan at Jantar Mantar here to burn copies of the Ordinance, which the NDA government re-promulgated on April 3 after failing to get the Bill to replace it passed in Parliament.
The activists -- who said that similar protests were held at over 100 locations in the country -- vowed to continue with the agitation until the same was rolled back.
Describing the bill as "anti-social", joint secretary of All-India Agricultural Workers' Union, Suneet Chopra, questioned the Centre's move to eliminate clauses like social impact assessment and farmers' consent for acquiring land.
He also slammed the amendment of the provision in the 2013 Land Acquisition Act which allows a farmer to get back his land if it is not used within five years of being acquired. The Ordinance says that a farmer will not get back land once acquired irrespective of whether it has been developed or not.
"The government has very shrewdly added the word 'certain projects' in the draft, categorising the projects that would not require the consent of the farmers. This anti-farmer and pro-corporate ordinance will play havoc with the farmers and eventually lead to starvation and suicide," Chopra said.
He said that members attached to the Andolan will go to areas where land will be acquired following the Ordinance and oppose the government action.
"We will not let them take land from farmers. We will prevent them from taking farmers' land," he said.
Kavita Krishnan, who participated in the event on behalf of the All India People's Forum, said that the 'Make in India' campaign was nothing but the "Blunder in India" campaign.
She also targeted the Centre for trying to promote the provisions of the Land Acquisition Ordinance in poll campaign style, alleging that it was a way of misleading farmers.
"On the one hand, there is an attack on farmers' land and their hardship. 'Make in India' is nothing but 'Blunder in India'. The way Modi campaigned for elections, he is campaigning (the same way) for the land Bill, misleading farmers.
"You can't attain development by finishing farmers. Company Raj must be brought to an end. It is not only our slogan, but of all the villagers," said Krishnan.
The activists said that the demand for land rights and withdrawal of the Ordinance will be pressed in all states in the coming weeks through state-level conventions, mass mobilisation, padayatras and rail roko and rasta roko protests.
