RSS-affiliate to hold protest against land bill

A meeting will also be held to discuss issues relating to genetically modified field trials and FDI in e-commerce

Unhappy over certain provisions of the Land Acquisition Bill, RSS-affiliate Swadeshi Jagaran Manch (SJM) is orgaising a protest at Jantar Mantar tomorrow against the proposed legislation.

"The Swadeshi Jan Sansad", as the protest meeting has been named, will also discuss the issues relating to genetically modified field trials and FDI in e-commerce, besides some IPR-related issues and will have farmers from various parts of the country to attend the same.

The protest was planned at SJM's Executive meeting after they expressed unhappiness over government's going ahead with its economic policies and some of the measures "without keeping in mind" the interests of farmers and other affected classes, including landless labourers," sources said.

They said SJM is also concerned over IPR issues especially after Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Europe where he talked of forming certain groups to iron out issues on IPR- related matters.

"We are not opposing land acquisition per se but the Land Acquisition Ordinance encroaches upon the interests of farmers," Manch's national co-convener Ashwani Mahajan had earlier said.

He said SJM is seeking suitable changes in the Land Ordinance whereby there is a balance between the industry, affordable housing for poor, job opportunities for landless labourers, farming and food security.

The Manch wants that changes have to be made in such a way that if land acquisition is done for industrial benefits, farmers' rights also need to be taken care of.

SJM's move comes at a time when opposition parties have united against against the Land Bill.