Odisha’s ruling BJD to oppose Land Acquisition Bill

Odisha Sun Times Bureau
New Delhi, Apr 30:

After keeping everyone guessing for quite some time about its stand on the amended Land Acquisition Bill, the BJD today opened its cards and announced its decision to oppose it. The party also made its stand clear on the GST issue and demanded that it be sent to the standing committee.

When the Land Acquisition Bill was first introduced in the Lok Sabha on March 3, BJD members proposed some amendments out of which four were accepted by the Centre but the main demand was not accepted. BJD members staged a walkout before the bill was put to vote. Now the party has decided to oppose it.

“The government had accepted four of our amendments, but it had not accepted our main amendment. In protest, we had staged a walkout. Keeping in line the principles of Biju Janata Dal and our party’s manifesto, we will continue to oppose it,” said Bhatruhari Mahatab, leader of BJD Parliamentary Party in the Lok Sabha.

“We have a major proposal: if the land which is being acquired is for some economic or commercial purpose, then the land loser should be made a shareholder in that project,” Mahatab added.

On the GST Bill, the party’s spokesperson in the Lok Sabha Kalikesh Narayan Singhdeo has demanded sending the Bill to the standing committee.

“The Odisha government has some apprehensions on the Bill. Therefore, our party wants it to be sent to the standing committee. It should be thoroughly examined by the standing committee and placed again,” said Singhdeo.