More protests over land ordinance ahead in Delhi

More protests over the the land ordinance are scheduled in Delhi next week, as social groups and rights organisation continue to oppose the ordinance.

On Monday, Bhumi Adhikar Andolan, a union of Left parties-backed farmers' organisations, will hold a "Bhumi Adhikar Sangharsh Rally" at Parliament street, and on Tuesday, Ekta Parishad, a Gandhian organisation which has been active in the area of land rights, will hold a "mute protest" at Jantar Mantar, barely a kilometre away from parliament.

Both groups have demanded withdrawal of the ordinance, which they call anti-farmer.

"Bhumi Adhikar Andolan demands the withdrawal of the anti-farmer and anti-people ordinance and demands a change in the government policy of loot of land and natural resources through unconstitutional ways," a statement said.

Ekta Parishad meanwhile slammed the government for trying to make farmers landless.

"The government wants to make the farmers landless and hand over the land to the industrialists," said its member Aneesh Kumar.

The Narendra Modi-led NDA government had re-promulgated the land acquisition ordinance in April after the bill, passed in the Lok Sabha, faced rough weather in the Rajya Sabha, where the ruling party is in a minority.

The land ordinance was tabled in the Lok Sabha on April 20 amid opposition uproar.