Won't let Punjab govt acquire land under old law: Amarinder

Lashing out at Punjab government for trying to acquire farmers' land under the old law, former Chief Minister and Congress leader Capt Amarinder Singh today said he will not let the SAD-BJP government circumvent the new Land Acquisition Act.
"I will ensure that the farmers get justice and their land is not acquired forcibly against their will," he said in a statement here.
Reacting to reports that farmers in the state, especially Ludhiana and Patiala, have been issued notices saying their land was to be acquired under the 1894 land acquisition law, Amarinder said the timing of the notification betrays the "malicious intent" of the Akali government to deny the farmers the benefits of the new law which will come into effect on January 1, 2014.

The old act stands repealed after the enactment of the new Land Acquisition law enacted by the Congress-led UPA government in August, he said.
"Heavens are not going to fall if the government waits for one month to issue the acquisition notification under the new law," he said.
Amarinder pointed out that the old law was totally against the farmers, while the new one safeguards their interests in the short and long term.

Under the new law, no land can be acquired unless there is a consent by 80 per cent of the affected people, and the compensation has to be four times the existing market rates in rural areas and twice in urban areas, besides providing employment to one member of the affected family, he said.

The former CM rubbished claims of the government that compensation will be provided according to the new law.
"Compensation is only one feature of the new law," he said, adding "even on that, nobody can trust this government".
Asserting that he will at no cost allow the government to "snatch the land of farmers", Amarinder said, "If at all the land has to be acquired, it will be only under the new law.