Stating that there was no difference in the stance of the AIADMK on Land Acquisition Bill between 2013 and now, party general secretary Jayalalithaa on Sunday rejected the charge of ‘double standard’ made by her arch rival and DMK president M Karunanidhi.
In the continuing war of words between the two leaders, Ms. Jayalalithaa asked why her party should oppose a Bill that gave more powers to the States.
According to the amendments, State governments were in a position to decide on exemption of five categories of projects.
When the State governments can decide keeping in mind the interests of the farmers, she wanted to know why Mr. Karunanidhi was criticising it.
“Is he for granting more powers to the Centre,” she asked.
Referring to his statement on Saturday, Ms. Jayalalithaa said an AIADMK MP had told the Lok Sabha in 2013 that his party was against land acquisition for private companies.
“Even now the party has the same view. That is why it mooted an amendment that exemptions should not be extended to private educational institutions and hospitals,” she said.
Asserting that the AIADMK supported the Land Acquisition Bill as it vested more power in States in matters such as granting exemptions unlike the previous version, Ms. Jayalalithaa said the AIADMK opposed the Bill in 2013 as the Centre could acquire land even without the consent of the State.
It opposed the Bill then as it facilitated companies like GAIL to acquire land against the interests of the farmers and the State governments.
After the amendments, the party supported the Bill as it gave more powers to the States which can now act in the interests of farmers.
“It is the same stand. There is no double standard,” she clarified.
