Date:31.05.

2015

PMK Founder Dr. S. Ramadoss Statement

LAND ACQUISITION ORDINANCE FOR THE

THIRD TIME: SACRILEGE OF PARLIAMENT
The Union Cabinet has presented the Land Acquisition Ordinance for Presidents approval for the
third time. It is highly condemnable that the Central Government is ignoring the sentiments of the
people and taking the ordinance route again.
Modis government had been unsuccessful in its attempt to amend the Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation
and Resettlement Act 2013 enacted by the previous UPA government. Hence an ordinance was
promulgated in December 2014. When the government failed to get the Bill through in Rajya Sabha
the Bill elapsed. Hence ordinance was promulgated for the second time in April 2015. When the Bill
was tabled in the Parliament it was sent to the Parliamentary Standing Committee. This second
ordinance is due to elapse on the 4th of June. Considering this the Union Cabinet had approved for
bringing an ordinance for the third time.
The land acquisition Bill will empower the government to grab the lands of the poor farmers and
present them in a platter to corporates. Hence every section of the society is vehemently opposing
this Bill. It is painful to see the union governments obsession to bring ordinances after ordinances
totally ignoring the sentiments of the people of the nation. Responding to the questions from media
regarding this, Modi said In the rapidly changing world we need to construct irrigation canals for
farmers, roads to move their farm produce, we need schools, hospitals, houses and modern amenities
for them. This is what the Bill strives to do while safeguarding the interests of farmers
When industries are built on lands grabbed from farmers these amenities may be developed. But
when these facilities arrive farmers wont have lands to earn their livelihood or will they have homes
to live. Farmers would have been driven away from their lands. Modis statement is just a sugar
coated version of the Tamil saying Selling the eye to buy a painting. When the ordinance was
promulgated for the second time the Modi, Jaitley combine tried to allure the farmers by stating that
once the Bill comes into force it will create 30 crore jobs. Indian people remained unmoved by these
charming words. Now they have come with newer promises. But the people will remain resilient
because they know pretty well that this not a land acquisition Act but a land grabbing Act.
It is undemocratic to bring an ordinance when the Bill can never be passed in the Parliament. Particularly
bringing an ordinance hastily when the Bill is being deliberated in the Standing committee is a murder
of democracy. President of India should never allow this.

Date:
The growth of agriculture had plummeted from 3.4% in 2013-14 to 0.2% in the financial year 2014-15.
Instead of taking measures to achieve growth of agriculture Modis government is trying to destroy
agriculture totally. Modi has stated in another press meet Land Acquisition Bill is not a matter of life
and death for me. I am willing to accept any solution. If the Prime Minister had been genuine in his
statement he should abandon the move to bring an ordinance with due respect to the sentiments
and welfare of our farmers.
Yours,

(Dr. S.Ramadoss)