Land Acquisition Bill pro-corporate: Farmers

  • 21/03/2013

  • Tribune (New Delhi)

It has been three days since the farmers gathered at Parliament Street for a 'mahapanchayat' under the banner of Indian Coordination Committee of Farmers Movements - the Bhartiya Kisan Union, Karnataka Rajya Raitha Sangha and the National Alliance of Peoples Movements here. Firm on their demands, they rejected the government's revised Land Acquisition Bill, calling it 'pro-corporate' while urging for fair remunerative prices of crops and minimum assured income through Farmers Income Guarantee Act/Farmers Income Commission. Objecting to the government's bill, they also called for a moratorium on land acquisitions until the government comes up with a white paper on the lands acquired and status of resettlement and rehabilitation of those affected. "Prices of everything have gone up since 1966, but the income of farmers has not been raised in tune with the conditions. If our demands are not met, we will gherao Parliament," said Chandram Malik from Sonepat, Haryana. Farmers rued the fact that since 2007, the government has failed to implement Professor MS Swaminathan recommendations, such as ensuring a minimum support price which should be at least 50 per cent more than the average cost of production.