Bengluru:The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) announced on Thursday plans to hold nationwide rallies to drum up public support for its land acquisition bill, hoping to blunt opposition criticism of a contentious move that is seen as a test of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s zeal for economic reforms.
The land issue dominated the inaugural day of the BJP’s national executive which got under way at Bengaluru earlier in the day, with party leaders led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and president Amit Shah targeting the Congress, which has dubbed the proposed changes in land laws as “anti-farmer”.
Stressing he had lived among farmers, Modi said he could understand their plight and was working with “good intention” to address their woes.
“How did farmer’s lose their land? Where did it go?… To get a job of a peon for their children or to make them a driver, they used to be compelled to sell their land to pay bribes.. The (previous) governments compelled them (to sell land).
“Land records will be reformed so that farmers get back their land (which they lost). For this, we will launch a big campaign,” he said.
Hours after the conclave began, the government re-promulgated its controversial land ordinance that had last month failed to win parliamentary approval in order to become a law.
The government has been pushing an altered version of the UPA-era land law which waters down certain clauses to make it easier for industry to acquire land. The government says this is needed to boost industry and create jobs needed to absorb about 10 million people joining the workforce every year.
But the move has sparked criticism from opposition parties, especially the Congress, which is seeking to revive its political fortunes building a campaign around opposition to the BJP’s land bill.
Modi did not refer to the land bill but made an oblique reference to the Congress’ opposition to the bill, saying “those spreading lies” have failed to notice the government’s efforts to help farmers.
“India will not progress till the villages progress and the villages will not progress till the farmers progress,” he said in his address to party workers in the evening.
He also said that the agriculture sector needs technology and infrastructure upgradation. “Farmer needs good roads, water in the fields, round-the-clock power,” Modi added.
Earlier in the day, Amit Shah too described the BJP as a “friend of farmers” and said “the opposition has deliberately spread many misgivings about the bill which is in the interest of farmers”.
The party said Union minister Nitin Gadkari will kick-start the programme with a rally in Ranchi, the capital of mineral-rich Jharkhand where the BJP is in power.
The BJP, which easily pushed the ordinance through the Lok Sabha, does not have the numbers to get it through the Rajya Sabha. It is hoping to see through the re-promulgated ordinance in the second half of the budget session beginning April 20 by winning over support of some smaller parties.
Shah also taunted the Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi, asking the opposition party to first find its missing leaders before finding faults with the Modi government.
“You are finding faults, that do not exist, with us and holding us responsible for them. Instead of doing this, the opposition party should find its leader,” Shah said, referring to Gandhi who has taken a sabbatical to “reflect on the future” of the party and has not been seen in public for more than a month.