Land Bill: Victory for the time being?

In a major shift in the gear, following increasing pressure by people across the country and opposition parties, Narendra Modi government has returned to the draft of the Land Acquisition Bill that was prepared by the UPA government with key components involving cosent clause and social assessment of the loss of land by the farmers.

This brings us back to the Land Acquisition Bill 2013 which factored in crucial clauses relating to consent of affected families, and social impact assessment (SIA) undoing the nine main amendments NDA had brought to the bill, by way of ordinance, and subsequently into the bill. Six of them were already approved by the Joint Committee of the Parliament in the past. A consensus had been evolved as well.

In the backdrop of 25 Congress MPs being suspended for ‘unruly’ behavior, something that was a sense of déjà vu for BJP when it sat in similar position few years ago, the U turn on land acquisition bill may well put a spoke in the plans of NDA speedy development and progress. Blazing economy in a year’s time, did we say? Well, that seems like bit of a tough luck now!

The NDA managers have been keeping their fingers crossed over a few things in the current parliament session. The bill is now a sorted issue. But how does this project the government in the eyes of the people? There has to be some kind of an image shift after NDA succumbed to the pressure exerted by people and opposition parties.

It would rather be naïve to think NDA bowed its head before UPA or Congress in particular. The U turn on land acquisition bill has more things under its wing, than what meets the eye.

In the recent times, after the initial loss of face in the elections last year, Congress has been doing everything well within its purview to lift its image from almost zero. But, looks like every time BJP cracks its whip, Congress is getting a new lease of life.

The amateur approach and lack of political experience and wisdom has begun to show. Narendra Modi’s #AccheDin may well be around in a political manifesto, but that was before the elections were won and the skies were much clear. Now with drought in half the states, and the other half experiencing failed monsoons, India is on the brink of the rate of farmers’ suicides climbing up the ladder again.

BJP’s complete wash out in Delhi elections is now a distant memory. But that’s a lesson learnt again. Among some of the main reasons for this reverse mode on land acquisition bill is the reason that BJP is bringing in ordinances with polls in the near gaze. BJP is hoping to hold the reins in Bihar and if this does not happen, it may well be the end of dream run for Amit Shah and Modi duo who almost managed the entire elections getting BJP a landslide victory just about 13 months ago in general assembly elections.

Not only have the opposition parties come together in a solid way, they have also managed to dent the image of BJP being ‘people’s voice’ as against what the party had built prior to elections.

The complete turnaround of BJP several issues, the Lalit Modi episode that generated much embarrassment, has given some serious blows to the party in the recent times.

With Bihar elections ahead, BJP wants to resurrect its image of being portrayed as a ‘corporate’ party that doles out land to companies ruling out the farmer consent in the ordeal.

This has cost BJP a good seven months of losing parliament time and having known the loss way too well, the managers of the party know this will cause a serious lag on part of the developmental guidelines as far as the time line is concerned. Into second year of its administration, BJP is realizing the aura receding way too fast. Some corrective actions in the run up to the development agenda were much needed.

Hence, even though grudgingly so, BJP dropped all the contentious amendments just in time. Modi had his personal image riding on this bill, having promised the ‘acche din’ to people the day he assumed power.

Because, the opposition parties aside, people had begun to take to streets on this and Congress was just beginning to leverage on this. The opposition, surprisingly, came well from within the party lines too.

The RSS affiliates, the Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh, Bharatiya Kisan Sangh and Akhil Bharatiya Vanavasi Kalyan, all of them had equivocally raised their objections against the amendments to the land bill stating this would cause serious repercussions if implemented.

It was both the perception, and the public opinion that BJP heard. And, looks like it would do good to the party at least for the time being.