Left Front stir against 'anti-farmer' land act

Kolkata, Jan 2 (IANS) The CPI-M led Left Front in West Bengal Friday announced a state wide agitation Jan 5 against the proposed amendments in the Land Acquisition Act, calling them "undemocratic" and "anti-farmer".

Front chairman Biman Bose said the ordinance approved by the Narendra Modi cabinet to amend the law doesn't caters to the interest of the farmers.

"During the (erstwhile) UPA regime, when the land amendment bill was brought before the parliamentary standing committee, it was agreed that interests of all those associated with land, apart from land-owners, will also be looked into. But this ordinance has omitted those clauses," Bose told media persons here.

"The step by the central government making changes in the Land Acquisition Act is anti-democratic and anti-farmer," he said, adding that the Left will Jan 5 undertake a statewide agitation.

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee too has opposed the amendments to the act that seek to remove "procedural difficulties" in acquiring land for national projects and to "further strengthen" provisions concerning "affected families".