Youth Cong objects Ordinance
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, January 14 2015:
Manipur Pradesh Youth Congress Committee (MPYCC) has announced that it would join Indian Youth Congress's Nation-wide campaign against the land acquisition Ordinance introduced by the BJP-led NDA Government.
Speaking at a press conference held at Congress Bhavan today, (MPYCC) president Amir Hussain alleged that the Ordinance intends to forcefully grab farmers' and tribal people's lands, which are their livelihood.
He said that volunteers of MPYCC would stage different forms of agitation across the State responding to IYC's call.
Amir Hussain said that leaders of Pradesh Youth Committee/Lok Sabha Youth Committee (PYC/LYC) have started meeting different MPs to urge them to object the Ordinance and take the side of tribal people.
This started yesterday and will continue till January 22 .
On January 23 memoranda will be submitted to different District Magistrates, he said and added that PYC/LYC members will also submit a memorandum to the Chief Minister in this regard.
Amir Hussain said that IYC president Amrinder Singh Raja had announced that a Nation-wide campaign will be launched against the Ordinance on National Youth Day, which commemorated the birth anniversary of Swami Vivekananda on January 12 last.
He said that the Parliament had passed the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition Bill last year after it was introduced by the Congress-led UPA Government.
However, after seven months, BJP-led NDA Government is planning to bring an Ordinance into effect which would change the characteristics of this Act.
Saying that the NDA Government has issued executive orders on nine different occasions in this connection, Amir Hussain said that the Ordinance does not have any Clause which requires taking consent from farmers and land owners while acquiring land by the Government.
He said that the Ordinance not only provides an opportunity to private companies to forcefully take away land from farmers but also enables private individuals and companies to earn profit through property dealership business.
Amir Hussain said that Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition Act 2013 mentions that a purchased land must be handed over to its owner again if no project is taken up on the land within five years of its purchase.
However, this time period has been increased to 10 years by the Ordinance, he added.
Amir Hussain said that the new Ordinance is similar to the Land Acquisition Act 1894 which was put into effect 119 years ago during the British Raj.
He said that copies of the Ordinance would be set on fire as part of the IYC's Nation-wide campaign.