Congress Apprises President On Land Acquisition

The Telangana Congress party urged President Pranab Mukherji to consider the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition Rehabilitation and Resettlement (Telangana Amendment) Bill, 2016, and refuse its approval if the State amendments were seen as a method to bypass critical safeguards and infringe upon the rights provided to the affected families.

The Congress, under the leadership of TPCC chief N Uttam Kumar Reddy, met the President at Rashtrapati Bhavan on Friday evening and submitted a memorandum on Land Acquisition Act, 2016, passed by the State government in the Legislative Assembly on Thursday. On the occasion, the Congress leaders also urged that the President see the State law for what it is - an attempt to take away the hard-earned rights and protections afforded to the affected families. All in the name of administrative convenience in land acquisition.

They alleged in the memorandum that section 107 of the Land Acquisition Act, 2013 made it clear that no amendments should be carried out unless they enhance or improve the benefits and safeguards provided under the 2013 law. It was clear that the amendments made by Telangana government do not satisfy the requirements, and instead seek to dilute the protections, safeguards and benefits given under the 2013 law.

The sole purpose behind this was to make the process of acquiring land easier for State authorities, while curtailing the rights of the people.