Shiv Sena hails govt decision not to re-promulgate land ordinance

The party termed the decision as "victory" of farmers

Welcoming the Centre's decision not to re-promulgate the land ordinance, NDA constituent Shiv Sena today termed it as "victory" of farmers and said had the Bill been passed, it would have given industrialists a "wholesale" license to trade the fertile land of farmers.

Facing sustained onslaught for promulgating the land ordinance thrice in the past, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had on Sunday announced that it will not be promulgated for the fourth time.

"The government has given up its insistence on passing the Land Acquisition Bill, a move that we welcome. This is a victory of farmers and labourers," an editorial in Sena mouthpiece Saamana said.

"An environment of fear had been created in the minds of farmers by the Opposition which led them to think that some points in the Bill were anti-India and anti-farmer and were only meant for industrialists," it said.

Even NDA constituents like the Shiv Sena and Akali Dal also opposed the Bill, it said, adding that the Opposition parties were not the only ones against it.

"We openly opposed the Bill as we did not want industrialists and government agencies to get a wholesale license to trade the fertile lands of farmers. Agriculture plays an important role in the development of the country. Ignoring farmers would mean deceiving the motherland," the ruling alliance partner said.

The editorial also questioned the Centre on providing financial stability and social importance to farmers.

"Farmers today have no financial stability, nor do they have any social importance. What does the government plan to do about it?" it asked.

"We do not think that increasing the wealth of select industrialists multi-fold means development of the nation," the Sena said.

It would have been better if the clash on the Land Acquisition Bill had been avoided by the government, the party further said.