Shocking that Madhya Pradesh CM asked Modi not to implement land rights law: NAPM

By Our Representative
Commenting on a recent HuffPost India story which said that, in controversial move, Madhya Pradesh chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan wrote a letter to the Prime Minister to stop the implementation of Section 24 (2) of the Land Acquisition Act, 2013 -- which gave land and property rights to farmers -- rop civil rights network National Alliance of People's Movements (NAPM) has said the move has adversely affected displaced farmers in the state.
Chouhan argued in the letter that if farmers and other affected people are are not displaced, it would adversely affect capital investment and infrastructure projects, including dams. Calling the letter "shocking" and "objectionable", NAPM said, land acquisition, displacement, poor compensation and weak rehabilitation helped the corporates in every possible way, adding, it also led to early displacement of the Narmada dam affected people in the state.
NAPM added, in complete violation of the Narmada Tribunal award, the state government acquired land without rehabilitating and resettling farmers and tribals, as a result of which they have suffered "immensely." But if section 24 (2) of the Land Acquisition Act had been applied, they wouldn't have been summarily alienated from their land like this.

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