Centre wants to dilute land bill for industrial lobby: Congress

The Congress party on Monday said the Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led NDA government intends to dilute the Land Acquisition Bill to the extent that is acceptable to the industrial lobby.

"Land ordinance is taking an undemocratic route. Modi Government's intention is to dilute this bill to the extent that is acceptable to the industrial lobby. They do not want the consent of the farmers. We will take a stand," Congress spokesperson P.C. Chacko told ANI here.

He added that Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley had himself supported the land bill when it was introduced during the UPA tenure.

"Arun Jaitley ji himself supported this bill [land acquisition] when this bill was introduced during the UPA regime. Both the houses of Parliament passed it, Sushma [Swaraj] ji supported it in the Lok Sabha. They moved the amendments and the government accepted and unanimously it was passed," he added.

The Congress has stepped up its attack on the NDA government over the issue in recent days, with party vice president Rahul Gandhi saying in a mega rally on Sunday that the nation's farmers were living in fear these days, and were convinced that the government has forgotten them.

Congress president Sonia Gandhi, too, said that the voice of India's farming community can never be silenced or suppressed, and any attempt to do so, would be countered with all the power at her command.