Sir — Ahead of the elections in Bihar, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has walked on the same populist lane through which his predecessors have gone. The Modi Government took a U-turn on the land Bill. The BJP Government was so adamant in ignoring the suggestions from various quarters that it abandoned two important aspects of the UPA’s land Bill. First, the consent clause and second, the social impact assessment.
The land Bill is stuck in the Rajya Sabha and is being scrutinised by a joint committee. The BJP first raised the farmers’ expectations by promising to implement the Swaminathan Commission’s idea of giving farmers 50 per cent profit over input costs. After assuming office, the Modi Government forgot about it. The land Bill rubbed salt into the farmers’ wounds.
Industry representatives and investors, who were exuberant with the ‘pro-business, pro-reform’ policy of the Modi Government are a sobered lot now. The coming Bihar elections has forced Mr Modi to become pro-farmer and pro-poor. Industrialists need to understand Mr Modi’s priorities.