RSS-affiliated outfit holds protest against land bill

In a move that could embarrass the BJP-led central government, an RSS-affiliated organisation today staged a protest here against the "anti-farmer" and "anti-poor" land acquisition bill and said it plans to spread public awareness against the NDA regime if its demands are not considered.
During its protest at Jantar Mantar here, the Swadeshi Jagaran Manch also raised concerns over the issues of field trials of genetically modified crops and FDI in e-commerce.
"The government today by its policies has proved that it doesn't subscribe to the ideologies of Deendayal Upadhyayaji... The ideologies of Swadeshi thinking and decentralisation of political and economical powers.

"Therefore, organisations like Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh and Swadeshi Jagaran Manch feel agitated with its anti-farmer and anti-poor policies which include the irrational land acquisition bill," SJM ideologue K N Govindacharya said.
Govindacharya alleged the government was resorting to policies that "failed world over" and did not address the needs of the poor and deprived sections.
SJM national co-convenor Ashwani Mahajan insisted on the Centre to include provisions of social impact assessment, farmers' consent before acquiring land and ensuring food security in its Land Acquisition bill.

"We want it to insert the clauses as these are very important and must be incorporated (in the bill)," Mahajan said.

Mahajan said the SJM is opposed to GM crop field trials as farmers and sections in the BJP are against it. He also pressed for "immediate ban" on operations of multi-national companies in e-commerce sector "in the interest of small Indian companies and shopkeepers".
He said the SJM, irrespective of which party is in power, will raise its concerns. The outfit would also engage in dialogue with the government "whenever the opportunity comes".
The SJM plans to spread public awareness against the NDA government if its demands are not considered, he said.