As President Pranab Mukherjee gave his assent to the re-promulgation of the Land Ordinance on Sunday, the Opposition and farmers’ associations decided to step up protests against the government.
While the Congress said re-promulgation of the Ordinance for the third time was a “cruel breach of faith and travesty of justice with farmers”, the Left parties termed the move as “highly objectionable”.
Congress Vice-President Rahul Gandhi tweeted “Modiji in an amazing hurry to grab land from poor farmers at any cost. A 3rd attempt at pushing the anti farmer Land Ordinance! Congress Party will continue to fight for the rights of the kisan and mazdoor against this #suitbootkisarkar. (sic)”
Party chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said the decision is an “affront to Parliament”, which refused to put its stamp of approval. “Duplicity of Prime Minister Narendra Modi stands exposed who had only yesterday said that his government is open to reviewing the anti-farmer land ordinance,” he said.
The CPI(M) Polit Bureau said re-issuance of the ordinance at a time when a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) has been constituted to examine the implications of the amendments is “particularly objectionable.” In the light of the Prime Minister’s statement on Saturday, the party demanded that the if the new land Bill is not a “life and death question” for him, the Ordinance should be kept in abeyance till the JPC submits its report and Parliament takes a considered position on the amended Bill.
Meanwhile, the All India Kisan Sabha alleged that the government, which failed to get Parliamentary approval for its amendments, has “shamelessly” taken the Ordinance route for the third time for “facilitating corporate land-grab at the expense of millions of farmers and other dependents on land.”
“This decision just after the JPC had its first meeting deliberately seeks to undermine the authority of the committee. It also speaks volumes of the BJP Government’s urgency to please the corporate sector and allow unhindered acquisition in the period when the JPC looks into the Bill.”
The Ordinance, the 13th executive order of the NDA government in one year, will now have to be laid before both Houses of Parliament and shall cease to operate at the expiration of six weeks from the date of re-assembly if it is not converted into law.