December 31, 2014
Trinamool protests against Land Ordinance
Continuing its protests against the ordinance to amend the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act, 2013, the Trinamool Congress on Wednesday burnt symbolic copies of the ordinance in Kolkata.
The protests comes a day after Chief Minister and party chairperson Mamata Banerjee described the ordinance as a ‘black law’ and said that she will not implement the law in West Bengal.
The protests, which were held in the Esplanade area of the city, was led by senior Trinamool leader and chief whip in the West Bengal Assembly Sovandeb Chattopadhyay.
Stating that the ordinance was against the interests of farmers, Mr Chattopadhyay dubbed the ordinance as “draconian and undemocratic.”
He said that by resorting to an ordinance, the Centre not only “bypassed Parliament, but also did not hold any discussions with Chief Ministers.”
“Our Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee held a 26-day long fast against forcible land acquisition at Singur in Hooghly district,” Mr. Chattopadhyay said, adding that no one can forcibly occupy the land of farmers from the State.
“Mamata Banerjee cannot disassociate herself from her sentiments regarding the issue (of forcible land acquisition) and hence she declared that she would not allow the Centre to implement the ordinance in West Bengal,” he told media persons.
