Congress volunteers staged a demonstration opposite the Head Post Office on Anna Road here on Monday. They demanded withdrawal of the Land Acquisition (Amendment) Bill brought by the National Democratic Alliance government in Parliament on the grounds that it did not contain any provision for obtaining prior consent of the farmers for the acquisition of their lands.
The demonstration was organised by the Vellore urban district and Vellore East district units of the party.
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The volunteers raised slogans demanding the retention of the Land Acquisition (Amendment) Act brought by the United Progress Alliance government in 2013. It provided for obtaining the consent of at least 70 per cent of the farmers whose lands are sought to be acquired for the purpose of establishing industries.
Another demand was that in the event of the NDA government being firm on getting the Bill through in Parliament, it should include provisions for providing four times the market value of the acquired land as compensation in the case of lands in rural areas and twice the market value of land in the case of urban areas.
‘Nassey’ J. Ramachandran, Treasurer of the Tamil Nadu Congress Committee said that the Land Acquisition (Amendment) Bill introduced by the NDA government did not contain clear provisions on compensation to the affected farmers, and prior consent of the farmers.
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The Bill provided for take over of the land of any farmer any time.
Permission
The Bill mandated that a farmer whose land was acquired by the government had to obtain permission from the government even to approach the court against the acquisition.
The TNCC functionary said that however much Prime Minister Narendra Modi tried, he could not hide from the people the 60-year-old achievements of the Congress which has strengthened the country.
The state of the NDA regime was reflected in the statement made by U.S. President Barack Obama during his visit to India that India’s progress would be halted if communal harmony is destroyed by the government.
Condemned
He also condemned the acts of those who tried to tarnish the image of Mahatma Gandhi and idolised his killer Godse.
B. Teekkaraman, president of the Vellore Urban District Congress and C. Panchaksharam, president of the Vellore East District Congress also spoke.
Volunteers raised slogans demanding retention of Land Act brought by UPA govt.
They want new bill to provide four times the market value of the acquired land