Even as the Government has been sending conflicting signals about the amendments to The Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act, 2013, the Lok Janshakti Party, an ally of the BJP is the latest to join the chorus against the amendments.
On Wednesday, LJP’s Chirag Paswan said the Party has reservations about the Ordinance in its current form. Mr. Paswan's statement comes close on the heels of the two other allies the SAD and the Shiv Sena indicating their opposition to the Ordinance, which the BJP has been claiming is pro-farmers and pro-poor.
Shiv Sena party leader Uddhav Thackeray has said that the Party will not support any law that is against the interest of farmers, while the SAD, which attended the all party meeting called by the BJP has also voiced its opposition.
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The SAD has spoken against the changes to Section 24 of the Act that narrows down the scope of the retrospective clause by reducing the number of beneficiaries. The Government for its part has been dithering on the issue, there is a section within the party that feels the government should go ahead with the Ordinance, but following opposition from allies, BJP chief Amit Shah has set up an eight-member committee which will collect suggestions from farmers on land acquisition.
Home Minister Rajnath Singh has also held several rounds of meetings with representatives of various farmers’ organisations. A BJP leader however, said the amendments to the Act will improve the living standard of those in the rural areas though construction of low cost houses, providing basic facilities like electricity, water, roads and provide opportunities of employment for the youth by providing land for development of industrial corridors.