AAP to protest over ordinance to amend Land Acquisition Act

Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Yogendra Yadav on Saturday said that his party would stage a protest over the BJP-led NDA Government's decision on passing an ordinance to amend the Land Acquisition Act.

"The government's effort to change the Land Acquisition Act has come as a big blow to the tribal population and farmers who have been struggling for their rights since independence. The government has cheated the public and AAP will protest against this. We will do rally in Delhi to express our protest to this ordinance," said Yadav.

"This nation is of farmers and we will not tolerate any injustice to them. This ordinance has nothing which can benefit the farmers. All the provisions of this ordinance will take away all the benefits which were given to farmers earlier," he added.

Earlier on Monday, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley had announced the Union Cabinet's decision on the Land Acquisition Act and had said that the ordinance intends to make a fair balance between the interest of farmers and industry.

The new law, which came into effect from January 1, 2015, will see the owners of land acquired via laws exempted under the act being eligible for a similar compensation.

The ordinance is being brought as the government failed to amend as many as 13 central legislations to bring their rehabilitation and resettlement and compensation provisions at par with those of the new Land Acquisition Act for buying land across the country.