Farmer leaders meet Rajnath over land acquisition ordinance

New Delhi, Feb 24 (IANS) Farmer leaders from various parts of India Tuesday met Home Minister Rajnath Singh and apprised him of their concerns regarding the land acquisition ordinance.

Talking to reporters after meeting the home minister, they said Rajnath Singh assured them he would look into their concerns and the government would soon hold a meeting in this regard.

The farmer leaders, who had come to the capital from all corners of the nation, presented their demands to the home minister, and asked the government to keep the land acquisition process "simple and farmer-friendly".

"We want the government to ensure that the farmers who lose their land for any developmental project should be given proper compensation with some sort of royalty so that their families have something to fall back on," said Ramkaran Solanki, whose visiting card said he was the 'pradhan of 360 villages' in Palam area of the National Capital Region (NCR).

Rajesh Sharma, chairman of Kisan Council of Jammu and Kashmir, told IANS that the farmers in Jammu and Kashmir, especially those who live in the border areas, have already given a lot of their land for defence purposes.

"We never oppose it as it is in the interest of the country but when we ask for a piece of land at a safer place, nobody listens to us."

"It's the farmers who gave their land and sons and daughters for the country and they must be heard on the issue," he said.

Sharma said no one was against the government bringing in new laws for land acquisition, but before they bring in anything new, they must discuss it with the parties involved, "and in this case, it's us... the farmers of the country", Sharma said.

Another farmer leader from neighbouring Haryana, Jagat Singh Malik, said the farmers were never against the government acquiring land for development purposes, but land for corporates must not be given without ensuring farmers' welfare.

"You take our land for government schools, colleges, hospitals and other developmental activities but when private interests are involved, proper care should be taken," he said.

Earlier in the day, the government introduced the Land Acquisition Bill in the Lok Sabha amid protest from opposition parties.

On Monday, too, leaders of 27 farmers' organisations had met the home minister.