Bruised land bill passes Lok Sabha hurdle amid uproar by Opposition

The contentious Land bill on Tuesday passed the Lok Sabha test after the government carried out nine amendments to it and persuaded most of its allies to support, setting the stage for its consideration in Rajya Sabha where the numbers are against the government.

The BJP-led central government managed to get the contentious land bill passed by the Lok Sabha on Tuesday, but with key allies joining hands with the Opposition the legislation faces a tough test in the Rajya Sabha where the NDA is in a minority.

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The Congress, Trinamool Congress, Samajwadi Party, RJD and BJD walked out of the House while NDA member Shiv Sena abstained as the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement (Amendment) Bill 2015 was passed by voice vote.

Another BJP ally, Swabhimani Paksha, moved an amendment that was negated.

The government carried out nine amendments and added two clauses to the bill, in an apparent effort to placate allies and tackle objections raised by opposition parties that have called the legislation anti-farmer and a threat to India's food security.

Congress president Sonia Gandhi and vice-president Rahul Gandhi were absent from Lok Sabha during the crucial debate and vote on Tuesday, pointed out BJP MP Ramesh Bidhuri.

The backlash over the bill has stonewalled the Prime Minister's efforts to get reforms through this budget session, impeding big-ticket projects worth thousands of crores that have been stuck for want of land.

The bill now goes to the Rajya Sabha where the government is in a minority. The opposition parties, on the other hand, remain united on their demand that the bill be referred to a parliamentary standing committee.

In the Lok Sabha, opposition MPs moved 52 amendments, which were either negated or were not pressed for by members.

Moving the bill for consideration by the Lok Sabha, rural development minister Birender Singh said the government had already incorporated several suggestions offered by the Opposition and was willing to accept more if they were in the interest of farmers.

The changes moved by the government include limiting the breadth of an industrial corridor to one kilometre on either side of highways and railway lines, compulsory employment for one member of a farming family that has to sell its land and a grievances procedure over land purchases to be established at local level.

A clause for exemption to "social infrastructure" projects has also been dropped, as there were fears that private individuals may use this section to open colleges and hospitals which were actually business models.

In his reply to the debate, the rural development minister took pot shots at the Congress, saying it threw crumbs at farmers for many years to ensure "they survive but do not prosper".

This led to heated exchanges between the treasury and opposition benches, with Congress leaders Jyotiraditya Scindia and Deepender Hooda protesting the minister's comment.

Speaker Sumitra Mahajan intervened to bring order to the House, while several senior ministers including Rajnath Singh, Sushma Swaraj and M Venkaiah Naidu were heard asking Birender Singh to address the Chair.

Earlier in the day, the rural development minister made a detailed presentation to BJP MPs on the proposed amendments, while parliamentary affairs minister M Venkaiah Naidu asked all MPs to remain present in both Houses of Parliament to ensure smooth passage of the crucial bill.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi was also present at the meeting, but did not speak, sources said.