Rahul, farmers meet PM, discuss land bill
Describing that it was “very unfair” on the part of BSP chief Mayawati-led UP government to forcibly acquire farmers’ land in Aligarh and adjoining areas for a road project, young Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and discussed the issue with him.
Mr Gandhi met the Prime Minister with a delegation of Congress leaders and farmers from Uttar Pradesh. During the meeting it was learnt that Dr Singh assured the young leader that the pending Land Acquisition Amendment Bill will be brought in the next session of Parliament.
The farmers, who met the Prime Minister along with Mr Gandhi, were representatives of agitating peasants. They are against “forcible” acquisition of land in Aligarh and adjoining areas in the state for the 165 km Noida-Agra Yamuna Expressway. “Land acquisition is a very important issue. What happened in Aligarh is very unfair. We need to have a view on it,” Mr Gandhi said after the meeting. When asked about the pending Land Acquisition Amendment Bill, Mr Gandhi remarked, “I am aware of it.” The prominent among the Congress leaders, who accompanied Mr Gandhi, included AICC general secretary and party’s UP in-charge Digvijay Singh. When asked if the government intends to bring the bill to amend the Land Acquisition Act 1894 in the next session of Parliament, Mr Singh said, “This is what we have been assured. The Prime Minister has said that he will try to get it passed as soon as possible.”
Asked about the stand of the Congress on the proposed “gherao” of Parliament on Thursday by some Opposition parties and the farmers on the issue, Mr Singh said, “There is no point in this...I had talked to Ajit Singh (RLD chief) and told him that it doesn’t make a sense to participate in the agitation...” He said if agitation has to be organised, let it be a “gherao” of the state Assembly.
The Land Acquisition (Amendment) Bill, 2007, which seeks to bring changes in the Land Acquisition Act, 1894, is being withheld owing to strong opposition of railway minister Mamta Banerjee, who heads Trinamul Congress, a key UPA ally.
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BJP in tizzy over Rahul Orissa tour
Akshaya Kumar Sahoo
Bhubaneswar
Aug. 25: The proposed visit of All India Congress Committee general secretary Rahul Gandhi to Lanjigarh in Orissa’s Kalahandi district has created ripples in the ruling BJD in the state as the party leaders feel the Congress was making a deliberate attempt to malign the image of the state government in the public.
The AICC leaders, apart from addressing party workers at Lanjigarh, will interact with local Dongaria Kondhas who, as environment activists allege, are going to be affected by the London-listed Vedanta Aluminium Limited.
Incidentally, Thursday is going to be observed as Adivasi Adhikar Diwas. Mr Rahul Gandhi, according to party insiders, will utilise the trip to convey the message that UPA government won’t encourage any activities, which would harm primary tribal groups like Dangaria and Kutia Kandhas.
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