Opposition to land acquisition bill very wide, extend time for representing to parliamentary panel: NAPM

Medha Parkar

By Our Representative
The National Alliance for People's Movements (NAPM), the apex body of tens of people's organizations across India, has asked SS Ahluwalia, chairperson, Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC), for extending the deadline for receiving inputs on Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement (Second Amendment Bill, 2015). The deadline for getting responses to the controversial bill ends on June 8.
A letter signed by well-known social activist Medha Parkar, who leads NAPM, and others, says that “After the consistent pressure and opposition, the NDA government has referred the land bill to the JPC, but a two week notice to make submissions is extremely insufficient."
Pointing out that the two week notice to make submissions is "is extremely insufficient for many groups and mass organisations to detail threadbare and bring out their comments, which requires more time", it said, "The majority of Indian citizens affected by land acquisition live in rural areas, so it is necessary and important to hold consultations to discuss the current draft in rural areas, especially where local communities have been affected."
"We understand that the Committee wants to complete its deliberations at the earliest; however, the matter of this importance can’t be dealt away in such hurry. We believe that 2013 Act, amended after 114 years, and having vetted by two Parliamentary Standing Committees and debated over seven years inside and outside Parliament should be given more time for deliberation", the NAPM said.
Pointing out that "many groups and mass organisations" are coming forward "to give detail inputs and bring out their comments”, the NAPM said, "They have demanded that the Committee extend the time line at least by a month, till July 8. A copy of the letter has been sent to all members of the Committee as well as to Minister of Rural Development Birender Singh
In addition, the NAPM suggests, the Committee should "reach out to farmers and workers of the country and hold wider consultations, public meetings and public hearings on the Bill, especially where local communities have been affected."
Insisting that this should be done to gather "past or present experiences of land acquisition, rehabilitation and resettlement", the letter said, the Committee should especially meet people in "Kalinga Nagar and Dhinkia to Narmada, Sompetta, Raigarh, Madurai, Mundra, Kanhar, Bhatta Parsaul, Jashpur, Dholera, etc."
NAPM has aligned with several farmers'-workers' groups, left-affiliated Kisan Sabhas and Khet Mazdoor Unions, and formed Bhumi Adhikaar Andolan. In a statement in the wake of the letter to Ahluwalia, it said, it is in the "process of mobilising farmers and workers opposing forcible acquisitions" in order to "suggest changes to the 2015 Bill."
Insisting that even the 2013 Act, passed by the UPA, should be made more stringent in favour of the people, the NAPM said, the need is to "bring in more progressive provisions, like extending the consent provisions to government projects or Social Impact Assessment for irrigation projects among others."
Bhumi Adhikaar Andolan organised mass demonstrations on February 24 and May 5 at Sansad Marg and and vowed to oppose what it called "corporate-led changes to the 2013 Act." The letter to Ahluwalia is based on a newspaper advertisement on May 24 inviting submissions from the public at large till June 8.

Comments

70,000 migrants, sold on Canadian dream, face uncertain future: Canada reinvents the xenophobic wheel

By Saurav Sarkar* Bikram Singh is running out of time on his post-study work visa in Canada. Singh is one of about 70,000 migrants who were sold on the Canadian dream of eventually making the country their home but now face an uncertain future with their work permits set to expire by December 2024. They came from places like India, China, and the Philippines, and sold their land and belongings in their home countries, took out loans, or made other enormous commitments to get themselves to Canada.

Kerala government data implicates the Covid vaccines for excess deaths

By Bhaskaran Raman* On 03 Dec 2024, Mr Unnikrishnan of the Indian Express had written an article titled: “Kerala govt data busts vaccine death myth; no rise in mortality post-Covid”. It claims “no significant change in the death rate in the 35-44 age group between 2019 and 2023”. However, the claim is obviously wrong, even to a casual observer, as per the same data which the article presents, as explained below.

PM-JUGA: Support to states and gram sabhas for the FRA implementation and preparation and execution of CFR management plan

By Dr. Manohar Chauhan* (Over the period, under 275(1), Ministry of Tribal Affairs has provided fund to the states for FRA implementation. Besides, some states like Odisha, Chhattisgarh and Maharashtra allocated special fund for FRA implementation. Now PM-JUDA under “Dharti Aaba Janjatiya Gram Utkarsh Abhiyan(DAJGUA) lunched by Prime Minister on 2nd October 2024 will not only be the major source of funding from MoTA to the States/UTs, but also will be the major support to the Gram sabha for the preparation and execution of CFR management Plan).

Operation Kagar represents Indian state's intensified attempt to extinguish Maoism: Resistance continues

By Harsh Thakor Operation Kagar represents the Indian state's intensified attempt to extinguish Maoism, which claims to embody the struggles and aspirations of Adivasis. Criminalized by the state, the Maoists have been portrayed as a threat, with Operation Kagar deploying strategies that jeopardize their activities. This operation weaves together economic, cultural, and political motives, allegedly with drone attacks on Adivasi homes.

How Amit Shah's statement on Ambedkar reflects frustration of those uncomfortable with Dalit assertion, empowerment

By Vidya Bhushan Rawat* Dr. B.R. Ambedkar remains the liberator and emancipator of India’s oppressed communities. However, attempts to box him between two Brahmanical political parties betray a superficial and self-serving understanding of his legacy. The statement by Union Home Minister Amit Shah in the Rajya Sabha was highly objectionable, reflecting the frustration of those uncomfortable with Dalit assertion and empowerment.

This book delves deep into Maoism's historical, social, and political dimensions in India

By Harsh Thakor* "Storming the Gates of Heaven" by Amit Bhattacharya is a comprehensive study of the Indian Maoist movement. Bhattacharya examines the movement's evolution, drawing from numerous sources and showcasing his unwavering support for Charu Mazumdar's path and practice. The book, published in 2016, delves deeply into the movement's historical, social, and political dimensions.

Ideological assault on dargah of Sufi Saint Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti will disturb pluralistic legacy: Modi told

Counterview Desk Letter to the Prime Minister about "a matter of the utmost concern affecting our country's social fabric": *** We are a group of independent citizens who over the past few years have made efforts to improve the deteriorating communal relations in the country. It is abundantly clear that over the last decade relations between communities, particularly Hindus and Muslims, and to an extent Christians are extremely strained leaving these latter two communities in extreme anxiety and insecurity.

Defeat of martial law: Has the decisive moment for change come in South Korea?

By Steven Lee Late at night on December 3, soldiers stormed into South Korea’s National Assembly in armored vehicles and combat helicopters. Assembly staff desperately blocked their assault with fire extinguishers and barricades. South Korea’s President Yoon Suk Yeol had just declared martial law to “ eliminate ‘anti-state’ forces .”

Search This Blog