NCP to oppose land ordinance in Rajya Sabha

Sharad Pawar says present form excludes crucial clauses related to 70% consent of farmers, acquisition of multi-crop land and social impact assessment

Former Union agriculture minister and the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) president, Sharad Pawar, on Wednesday said his party would not support the land ordinance in its current format. He said the present form has excluded crucial clauses with regard to 70 per cent consent of farmers, acquisition of multi-crop irrigated land and social impact assessment. He also said the NCP would vote against the ordinance in the Rajya Sabha.

“I have spoken to a number of political parties who are opposed to the ordinance. The government might bulldoze it in the Lok Sabha based on its majority in the Lower House. But the picture will be different in the Rajya Sabha,” Pawar told reporters here.

Pawar, however, said he was not opposed to the industrialisation or the development of projects in defence, irrigation and other key sectors.

He also questioned the priorities of the Narendra Modi government in agriculture and industry.

Pawar on Wednesday said he was open to idea of joining hands with progressive parties, including the Congress on the lines of the Janata Parivar reunion to take on saffron alliance of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Shiv Sena. He said it would not be at the cost of his party’s identity.

The NCP chief said the Janata experiment would work in Bihar, as it is a politically alert state and the change in national politics would start from the Assembly polls their.

To a question on Congress Vice-President Rahul Gandhi taking up farmers’ issues after return from his unexplained sabbatical, Pawar said, “More than where he had disappeared, what is important is that he is back to his work. One has to see how seriously he is taking it up.”

Referring to the letter sent by the Union Minister of Roads and Highways Nitin Gadkari to all parties on land ordinance, Pawar said the language used shows arrogance of power and not the language of dialogue. He said Gadkari’s letter is based on the brief he received from his political bosses.

Pawar said the land acquisition Bill, passed in 2013, was drafted by a committee headed by him. He said all suggestions made by the former leaders of the Opposition Sushma Swaraj and Arun Jaitley were included and the Bill was subsequently passed unanimously.

Pawar said the government had an option of joint session of Parliament to get the ordinance passed but the move is being opposed by many BJP members, he said.