Union Finance Minister, Mr Pranab Mukherjee, on saturday made light of the criticism being faced by West Bengal Chief Minister, Ms Mamata Banerjee, for first announcing an ordinance and then saying a bill would be moved in the assembly to reclaim the 400 acre at Singur.
“So what? It’s a good decision,” Mr Mukherjee told reporters in reply to a question before leaving for his Jangipur Lok Sabha constituency in Murshidabad district.
The chief minister had hurriedly announced an ordinance on Thursday for reclaim of 400 acre of land at the abandoned Tata Motors site, for farmers who had unwillingly parted with it.
Yesterday she had said that the government would table the land reclamation bill in the assembly session, which has been advanced to June 13 from June 24.
A left delegation led by Leader of the Opposition, Mr Surjyakanto Mishra had called on West Bengal Governor, Mr M K Narayanan, yesterday and pointed out that such an ordinance could not be promulgated when the house was in session.
Ms Banerjee had said since the government was committed to returning the land to unwilling farmers of Singur who have waited a long time for it, the assembly session has been preponed and the Singur bill would be tabled in the house.
Asked about the present status of the Lokpal bill and what the government was doing, Mr Mukherjee, who is chairman of the joint committee for drafting it, said, “We are discussing it. It is in the process of discussion. Some meetings have taken place. There will be a couple of more meetings.”