Not capsizing, honouring national consensus on land Bill: Sinha

With the government appearing set to do a U-turn on amendments to the land Bill, Minister of State for Finance Jayant Sinha on Tuesday said the Centre was not “capsizing” to Congress and other opposition parties demand, but was honouring what is now a national consensus.

“Our position... is the national position. It is the position that will ensure that all stakeholders are happy and satisfied. My understanding is that in certain important areas we have moved forward and certain other important areas we have gone with the national consensus,” he told Karan Thapar on ‘To the Point’ programme on India Today TV.

The government today expressed readiness to accept recommendations of the Joint Committee of Parliament on land bill, which restored provisions of the UPA law. The panel headed by BJP MP S S Ahluwalia approved changes in the Bill including on the consent clause, that will restore the UPA law.

When asked if this is a victory for the Congress and a defeat for the government, Sinha said: “Our job is to serve the people of India in their best interest, and that meets India's long-term interest. In doing so obviously we have to take into account what the stake holders views are”.

The minister said both the Prime Minister and the Finance Minister have said time and again that on such a delicate and sensitive issue government will forge a national consensus.

"...the process that we have undertaken over the last year and a half is to forge such a national consensus that has resulted in this committee with a set of recommendations.

"These are the recommendations and if this is the national consensus, that will truly be durable and it will carry everybody along," he added.

Out of 672 representations that were made before the panel, 670 opposed the amendments being brought by the government on the land bill particularly changes in consent clause and social impact survey.

Sources said BJP has agreed to bring back the key provisions of UPA's land law including the ones on consent clause and social impact assessment and drop controversial amendments brought by the Narendra Modi government in December through an ordinance.