Modi asks MPs to defend land acquisition bill

Prime Minister Narendra Modi Tuesday asked his party MPs to aggressively defend the land acquisition bill, saying it was pro-farmer, sources said.

According to sources, the prime minister said at the parliamentary party meeting of the Bharatiya Janata Party Tuesday morning that the bill will work in favour of farmers and asked parliamentarians to "bust the myths" being promoted by opposition parties.

"The prime minister said the bill is pro-poor and pro-farmer. He allayed the apprehensions that the poor will suffer due to this bill," a BJP leader said on condition of anonymity.

"He also said the amendments are in line with what was suggested by Congress ruled states and government should not be on a backfoot on it," the leader said.

BJP president Amit Shah, meanwhile, formed an eight-member committee to seek suggestions from farmers on the bill.

Former union minister Satyapal Malik is the convener of the committee, which will hold discussions with farmers and other organisations on land acquisition.

The other members of the committee are MPs Bhupender Yadav, Ram Narayan Dudi, Hukam Dev Narayan, Rakesh Singh, Sanjay Dhotre and Suresh Angadi, along with chartered accountant Gopal Agarwal.

The government Tuesday introduced the land acquisition amendment bill in the Lok Sabha amid an uproar by the opposition.

The Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition Rehabilitation and Resettlement (Amendment) Bill 2015 will replace an ordinance which had been promulgated by the NDA government Dec 30, 2014.

The upper house, meanwhile, saw a ruckus over the issue, as opposition leaders accused the government of making anti-poor policies.