RSS-affiliate body calls for uniform land acquisition law across nation

THe Bharatiya Kisan Sangh, an affiliate of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh has urged the unification authorities to get rid of set ashore pooling laws crossways the country and bring uniformity in the Land Acquisition Law.The BKS, which represents farmer unions, was instrumental in pushing the Madhya Pradesh government to roll back the land pooling announcement for the construction of a “spiritual city” in Ujjain ahead of the 2028 Simhastha Kumbh — a Hindu pilgrimage held every 12 years in Ujjain.BKS leaders expressed concern over the flaws in the land acquisition law and said in the name of development, agricultural land is being acquired by governments, which is adversely affecting the interests of the affected villages and farmers.“At a two-day symposium that concluded on Sunday in Rajasthan, under the banner of the Indian Agro Economic Research Center, a think tank of the Kisan Sangh, it was stated that farmers’ interests are being overlooked by the land acquisition,” said a functionary aware of the details.Nudging the government to review the land acquisition laws, the Indian Agro Economic Research Center, in a statement said that the system of the 1894 British law continued for years, and even after the implementation of the new law in 2013, amendments made arbitrarily by state governments weakened it.The organisation claimed that even after governments took actual possession of land, farmers either got negligible or no compensation and arrangements for employment, rehabilitation, and housing for the displaced remained on paper.“After acquisition, the remaining land became uncultivable due to waterlogging or other problems but there is no provision for compensation for this. By making laws such as the land pooling act, a fraud was committed, deceitfully taking approval from innocent farmers based on assurances,” the statement read.The body has urged the government to ensure that while making laws or amendments, the consent of 80% of the residents of the Gram Sabha should be mandatorily obtained in the presence of a judicial or independent officer.“Compensation should be four times the actual market value or registry value—whichever is higher. And it should be re-evaluated every three years.Before taking possession of the land, the R&R (Rehabilitation & Resettlement) plan should be fully implemented. For ensuring compliance, a district-wise “Rehabilitation Board” should be established so that alternative land, housing, training, and employment can be ensured,” the union has demanded.It has also pointed out that farmers face difficulty in managing finances when they receive lump-sum compensation, and the money gets spent. As an alternative, before taking possession of the land, farmers should be paid annual rent per acre of the acquired land at prevailing local rates and whenever the farmer wishes to take lump-sum compensation, he should be paid four times the then-current market value.While it called for a complete ban on the Land Pooling Law, the union also said if the acquired land is not used within five years, it should be returned to the farmer, and the compensation already given should not be recoverable.