Union rural development minister Jairam Ramesh claimed that farmers, tribals, dalits and labourers would be benefiting from the Land Bill. “When the bill is in the interest of so many people, it’s clearly in the national interest too,” reasoned Mr Ramesh.
While the industries have slammed the land bill as bureaucratic, Mr Ramesh is of the view that the Land Acquisition Act of 1894 has been a draconian one and claimed that the government mostly misused the provisions of the law along with the public sector undertakings (PSUs). “Various government agencies quite frequently changed the public purpose of acquiring the land into private purpose,” stated Mr Ramesh.
The minister listed the empowerment of the tribals in the bill as its key feature, saying that in the Schedule V areas the consent of the gram sabha would be a must for the acquisition of the land, which is a first.
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Why Asaram still roaming free: Sharad
Age Correspondent
NEW DELHI, AUG. 30
The controversy surrounding Asaram Bapu was raised in the Lok Sabha on Friday during Zero Hour with JD(U) leader Sharad Yadav wondering why he had not been arrested and was being allowed to roam free despite the rape charges against him.
Speaking amidst an uproar in the House and with his voice virtually drowned in the din, Mr Yadav noted that the law is equal for all and asked why Asaram Bapu was visiting various places instead of being arrested.
The JD(U) leader also wondered why no action has been taken against the self-styled godman despite the hour-long meeting that Rajasthan chief minister Ashok Gehlot had with Union home minister Sushilkumar Shinde on the matter. Accusing Asaram of being a part of the “land mafia”, Mr Yadav alleged that he has grabbed thousands of acres of land in the country.
The Mr Yadav’s remarks come a day after JD(U) MPs in the Lok Sabha created an uproar yesterday over the alleged protests by a few supporters of Asaram at the JD(U) leader’s residence for seeking action against the controversial godman.
Mr Yadav had demanded that Parliament should take “cognisance” of such a move from the supporters of a controversial figure.