Land bill: Sena, BJP heading towards a common goal, says Gadkari

Even as Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP's) ally Shiv Sena continues to oppose the controversial land acquisition bill, Union road transport and highways minister Nitin Gadkari on Wednesday said both the parties were heading towards a common goal.

Even as Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP's) ally Shiv Sena continues to oppose the controversial land acquisition bill, Union road transport and highways minister Nitin Gadkari on Wednesday said both the parties were heading towards a common goal.

HT Image

"There is a will among both the parties and we are moving in the same direction," Gadkari told reporters in Mumbai without specifying the direction or change, if any, in Sena's posturing.

He was accompanied by a host of ministers from Maharashtra along with Union minister for heavy industries and senior Sena leader Anant Geete.

Gadkari termed the bill was a "blessing in disguise" for the country and cited the development of coal mines in Nagpur as a classic example of the steps taken by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government for land acquisition.

Shiv Sena has been strongly opposing the bill saying it cannot accept it in its present form but were ready to support only if their demand for seeking 70% consent from the farmers is incorporated in it.

Sena president Uddhav Thackeray had reportedly told his MPs representing Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha will continue to oppose the bill till their demands were accepted.

Sena through its mouthpiece Saamana had even dared its ally to start land acquisition in Jammu & Kashmir, which it has currently kept away from the purview of the bill owing to Article 370 of the Constitution.