Former Rural Development Minister Jairam Ramesh on Wednesday claimed to have the support of almost all Opposition parties, besides one NDA ally Shiv Sena over the controversial land Bill. In the midst of the flurry of Gadkari-Sonia-Gadkari letters, wherein the two have made contentions in support of and against the contentious land Bill, Ramesh too wrote to Union Road Transport and Highways Minister. In his letter to Gadkari, Ramesh pointed out why the Congress was opposing all the amendments brought by the Modi Government on the land Bill, the Ordinance which was re-promulgated by the Cabinet on Tuesday. Ramesh wrote after Gadkari replied to Congress president Sonia Gandhi’s letter wherein she declined the Government’s offer of a dialogue if the Bill was brought in the new format.
Calling Modi an “anti-farmer Prime Minister”, Ramesh said the NDA Government’s move to bring amendments to the 2013 Act was anti-farmer and aimed at favouring industrialists. The new Bill was passed by lok Sabha but the Government could not get it cleared in the Rajya Sabha, and for this, the Government might convene a Joint Session of Parliament to pass it, he said. “Fourteen political parties are opposing the amendments. A few of the BJP’s MPs also met me asking us to continue the protest. A couple of the party’s ideologues and Shiv Sena are also opposing the land Bill,” Ramesh claimed. Ramesh said that the Congress will continue to oppose the amendments both inside and outside Parliament. He also asked where Rural Development Minister Birender Singh was, since the matter is continuously being pursued by Gadkari. Accusing the NDA Government of misleading farmers about 13 aspects of the new land Acquisition Bill, Ramesh said they were part of the 2013 law passed by his party and that the Modi Government was taking credit for it.