AIKS Press Note Against Land Ordinance
3rd April, 2015
All India Kisan Sabha condemns the undemocratic manner in which the BJP Government has gone ahead with re-issuing of the Land Acquisition Ordinance ignoring the massive wave of protests against it and also lack of support in the Rajya Sabha for the Amendments moved by the Government. Shockingly the move comes when peasantry across the country are reeling under the shock of total crop loss in the unseasonal rains as well as hailstorm. It points to the insensitivity of the Government that instead of effectively dealing with the crop loss in over 2 crore hectares of land its urgency is to please corporate companies and land mafia. AIKS will unite broadest possible sections and resist the move of the BJP Government across the country.
The BJP Government’s move to create a Special Category of Projects which are exempt from the need to seek Consent of the affected people or the requirement of conducting Social Impact Assessment prior to acquisition, review by Expert Group and bar on acquisition of multi-cropped/agricultural land will have serious consequences on livelihoods of the peasantry, agricultural workers and other dependents on land. The expansion of Industrial Corridors to include land up to one kilometre on either side of the designated road or railway line for such Corridors will open up huge tracts of land for acquisition without any safeguards. The Common Property Resources and agricultural land as well as human settlements will be threatened. It will irreparably compromise the food security of the country. This move will only ensure “Achhe Din” for the corporates, real estate lobby and land mafia.
The Government is seeking to quell opposition by talking about mandatory employment for farm labour and claiming that Government will try to ensure that “bare minimum required” land will be acquired for a Project. These are both drawn from the earlier provisions of the Social Impact Assessment Provisions with the aim of misleading and creating confusion in the minds of people. The extent of None of these will ensure that all affected people are guaranteed of any economic security or employment.
All India Kisan Sabha along with All India Agricultural Workers’ Union, Adivasi Adhikar Rashtriya Manch and a host of organisations of the peasantry, agricultural workers, Adivasis and working people have decided to take forward the struggle in a united manner until victory. The united struggle against the Land Acquisition Ordinance will be extended further against indiscriminate land acquisition as well as for land rights. We have decided to take forward the struggle jointly under the banner of Bhoomi Adhikar Sangharsh Abhiyan/Movement for Land Rights. The following action plan has been finalised.
- Burning of Land Acquisition Ordinance across the country on 6th April.
- Massive Bhoomi Adhikaar Sangharsh Rally on 5th May, 2015.
- State Level Conventions, Mass Mobilisation and Padayatras in all States and Districts.
- 5 crore Signatures will be collected across the country against the Ordinance.
- Zameen Wapsi campaign to Occupy Land acquired and lying unutilised.
The struggle will be further intensified if the Government continues to ignore the people’s opinion and takes an anti-peasant, anti-people stance. Rail-Roko and Road Roko across the country is also being planned. We warn the Modi-led BJP Government that their move will be met by an unprecedented resistance and will not succeed.
Sd/- Amra Ram, President
Hannan Mollah, General Secretary
