Opposition unites to oppose land reform bill

Agencies/New DelhiIndia’s usually fractious opposition parties joined forces yesterday for a march against a bill to ease land acquisition rules, a rare show of unity that bodes badly for a key part of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s economic overhaul plans. Opposition parties from across the political spectrum, including Congress president Sonia Gandhi, walked from parliament to the president’s home demanding the government drop its plans. “We have come together to oppose the Modi government’s amendments,” Gandhi said, demanding the right to fair compensation for farmers and transparency in land acquisition. She was flanked by former prime minister Manmohan Singh and the leaders from 13 other political parties. Gandhi told reporters that they urged President Pranab Mukherjee not to let the government go ahead with the bill.The “democratic, secular and forward looking forces are determined to defeat the (Narendra) Modi government’s designs” to promote corporate interests at the cost of farmers by taking away their land, she said.The protest that Gandhi led drew besides members of her party, those from the Samajwadi Party, Janata Dal-United, Janata Dal-Secular, the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, the Communists, Trinamool Congress and the Nationalist Congress Party.JD-U leader Sharad Yadav said the protest had brought together all the opposition forces that had got scattered since the Lok Sabha election catapulted the Modi-led Bharatiya Janata Party to power.“This is a land of farmers. It is the farmers who have made this country self-sufficient in food. To snatch their land is a sin,” he said.“This is the beginning of a major battle that will be waged in every nook and corner of the country,” he said.Conflict between farmers and companies trying to secure land for industrial projects has hampered India’s plans to expand its network of highways, build mines and other infrastructure, holding up about $300bn of investment. Analysts say India’s poor infrastructure is one of the main impediments to the nation enjoying economic growth needed to help lift hundreds of millions of people out of poverty. In December, the government passed an urgent executive order to make it easier to buy land. The government needs lawmakers in both houses of parliament to pass the bill before the end of this parliamentary session in May to prevent the order lapsing. The proposed changes to the law would mean projects in defence, rural electrification, rural housing and industrial corridors would not need to seek the consent of 80% of the affected landowners as mandated. They will also be exempt from holding a social impact study involving public hearings - procedures that industry executives say can drag out the acquisition process for years. Compensation to landholders will stay at four times the market price. While the government has had success raising billions of dollars through the sale of coal blocks and telephone spectrum, Modi has struggled to pass legislation through the Rajya Sabha, the upper house of parliament, where his Bharatiya Janata Party is in a minority. In Modi’s first major economic reform almost a year after coming to power, parliament voted to allow more foreign investment in the insurance sector last week. The land acquisition bill and other reforms will be more difficult to pass because of the lack of support from rival parties.  In a related development, social activist Anna Hazare has cancelled his proposed march from Wardha in Maharashtra to Delhi to oppose the bill, an aide said.“Anna has cancelled the padyatra that was to start on March 30. One reason for the cancellation is the unseasonal rains and hailstorm in many parts of the country,” aide Suresh Pathare said.Hazare, 77, had planned the 1,100km-long march passing through a dozen states. It was to start on March 30 from Gandhi Ashram in Wardha and conclude at Delhi’s Ramlila ground around April 30.