India’s opposition may quit House panel on land bill

Upset over the re-promulgation of the land acquisition ordinance when the Bill to replace it is under parliamentary scrutiny, some opposition members on India’s Joint Committee of Parliament examining the draft legislation are toying with the idea of “boycotting” it.

At least three members from different parties confirmed that they were in touch with one another and would take a decision on whether or not to participate in the work next week, reports The Hindu.

“Both options — to boycott or to continue — are on the table,” a member said. But the Trinamool Congress has decided to fight it from within.

CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury said in Hyderabad on Tuesday that the party was actively considering “withdrawing” from the committee.

Mohammad Salim, the party member on the panel, said the Opposition members were in consultation with one another as the re-promulgation of the ordinance at this juncture was unacceptable.

The CPI(M) would take a final decision at its central committee meeting here in the coming weekend, after consulting other Left parties, he said.

“We will oppose the Land Bill 200 per cent, but boycotting parliamentary committee is not the solution. We will not allow the Bill. We will fight it every step,” Derek O’Brien, Trinamool member on the committee, said in a late-night statement.

Jairam Ramesh, one of the Congress members, under whose watch as Union Minister the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act was passed in 2013, told The Hindu: “I believe that the third promulgation is an insult to the select committee and makes a complete mockery of its work.”

Janata Dal (United) member Sharad Yadav was non-committal, saying a decision would be taken on his return to Delhi on Friday.