The Biju Janata Dal (BJD), which had earlier supported some Central Government legislations, would oppose the controversial land Acquisition Bill in the Parliament. Talking to The Pioneer, BJD Parliamentary Party leader in the lok Sabha, Bhartruhari Mahtab, said they had decided to oppose the Bill. He said that his party had suggested amendments to some clauses, but the Centre didn’t amend them. The clause that says people who would lose land should be made shareholders of a project undertaken with economic purpose, he said.
“It should also be applied in the case of gram panchayats.” Mahtab denied that the BJD has changed its earlier stand on the Bill due to public pressure. “In our election manifesto, we had promised the people of the State to uphold their rights on land. We have now taken our stand keeping the interest of our State in mind,” he added. Meanwhile, BJD MP Kalikesh Singh Deo said the party wants the GST Bill to be sent to a Standing Committee for further study.