Sushma suggests 'middle path' to end impasse over land bill

With the impasse over the controversial land acquisition bill on, Leader of Opposition Sushma Swaraj suggested another round of all-party meeting when government opposed some parties' contention that the bill should be sent back to a Parliamentary panel for further scrutiny.
A top government functionary said the senior BJP leader suggested a "middle path" when the government opposed demand from her and CPI(M) leader Basudeb Acharya that the bill should be sent back to the Standing Committee on Rural Development for modification and bring it back during the Monsoon Session of Parliament.
"Some people including Swaraj suggested that the bill should be sent back to the Standing Committee. We were not in favour of it. Then she suggested the middle path and we agreed to hold a fresh round of consultations on April 18 to sort out differences," the top official said.

Briefing the media after the meeting, Swaraj said there were two options-- one was to send the bill to the Standing Committee and the other was to settle the issues in all-party meeting.
"We will hold a day-long meeting on April 18 where government will bring its official amendments after studying the amendments suggested by various parties," she said.
Later, talking to PTI, Rural Development Minister Jairam Ramesh said, "there is a little progress. I hope that the bill will be passed in this session.