Centre plans to seize 3.9 lakh hectares land from farmers, alleges NAPM, plans rally on February 24 in Delhi

NAPM-sponsored rally in Bhubaneshwar

By A Representative
The National Alliance of People's Movement (NAPM) has estimated that the new Ordinance amending the 2013 Land Acquisition Act will lead to the "seizure" of 3,90,000 hectares (ha) of agricultural land from farmers for the Delhi Mumbai Industrial Corridor (DMIC). Calling upon a rally at Jantar Mantar in Delhi on February 24, the NAPM has added, the Ordinance was introduced by the BJP government “so that industrialists, Indian and foreign, and builders can construct industrial corridors, open mines and accumulate real estate profits in the name of building cheap housing for the poor by grabbing farmers’ lands.”
The estimation is said to be based on Section 10(A) of Chapter III A of the Ordinance, which doesn’t not just put defence-related establishments, affordable houses for the poor and rural infrastructure in the list of “exemptions category”, where no social impact assessment (SIA) or people’s consent would be required for acquiring land. Even the industrial corridors have been put under the exemptions category.
If applied on Gujarat, which is the main part of the Delhi-Mumbai Industrial Corridor (DMIC), it would mean, 60 per cent of the state’s land could be acquired without SIA or consent. Similar corridors are planned between Delhi and Kolkata, Kolkata and Chennai, Chennai and Bangaluru, and Bangaluru and Mumbai. The list is likely to expand to link Central India as well.
India's one of the biggest apex bodies of rights-based organizations, the NAPM said, already, following the Ordinance, “bulldozer attacks on slums of cities like Chennai, Mumbai, Hyderabad and Ranchi are increasing at an alarming rate.” It added, “Thousands of hectares of land belonging to the public are being looted to increase the breadth and lustre of smart cities.”

Odisha rally against land ordinance

The NAPM statement came alongside its supporters in Odisha, in alliance with about two dozen anti-displacement people’s movements and rights based organizations of Odisha , organizing a mass protest rally on February 14, 2015 in Bhubaneshwar against the Land Acquisition Ordinance, 2014. The rally demanded its “immediate withdrawal”.
Calling it “undemocratic and anti-people”, a statement issued by the rally organizers, Campaign for Survival and Dignity (CSD), demanded that the Odisha government should not implement the Land Acquisition Ordinance. The protest rally was addressed by Prafulla Samantara, convener of the NAPM, Rabi Das, Prof Manoranjan Mohanty, Trilochan Punji, Bilua Nayak and others .
The statement said, “The UPA government had brought new land acquisition Act in 2013 after consistent people’s struggles across different states against draconian land acquisition Act of 1894 of the British period, introducing a democratic process of social impact assessment (SIA) and public hearing. The very fundamental right to consent and prior information of 80 per cent and 70 per cent of land losers was mandatory for Land Acquisition for private and public partnership projects (PPPs).”
However, it added, the NDA Government under leadership of Narendra Modi “has brought land acquisition ordinance in December 2014. The new land acquisition ordinance will lead to forceful acquisition by the state which has no such authority in the constitution.”
“The provision of Social Impact Assessment followed by Public Hearing was the essence of democratic process of Land Acquisition in 2013, which has now been totally abolished for various sectors, and land acquisition will now be done for any private entity without any restriction”, the statement alleged.
The statement said the Ordinance was brought in though it was to come into force in January 2015, and not a single project anywhere in country had been stalled because of the Act. It also condemned the Government of India for “violating” the Gram Sabha’s authority established under the Forest Rights Act (FRA), 2006 in diversion of forest for non-forest purposes.
Following the the protest rally, a memorandum was submitted to the President of India through the Governor of Odisha. Soon thereafter, the organizers announced that on February 24, 2015, during Parliament session, a mass protest rally would be organized in Delhi and “the anti-people Ordinance would be burnt.”

Comments

US-China truce temporary, larger trade war between two economies to continue

By Prabir Purkayastha The Trump-Xi meeting in Busan, South Korea on 30 October 2025 may have brought about a temporary relief in the US-China trade war. But unless we see the fine print of the agreement, it is difficult to assess whether this is a temporary truce or the beginning of a real rapprochement between the two nations. The jury is still out on that one and we will wait for a better understanding of what has really been achieved in Busan.

Mergers and privatisation: The Finance Minister’s misguided banking agenda

By Thomas Franco The Finance Minister has once again revived talk of merging two or three large public sector banks to make them globally competitive. Reports also suggest that the government is considering appointing Managing Directors in public sector banks from the private sector. Both moves would strike at the heart of India’s public banking system . Privatisation undermines the constitutional vision of social and economic justice, and such steps could lead to irreversible damage.

Buddhist shrines were 'massively destroyed' by Brahmanical rulers: Historian DN Jha

Nalanda mahavihara By Rajiv Shah Prominent historian DN Jha, an expert in India's ancient and medieval past, in his new book , "Against the Grain: Notes on Identity, Intolerance and History", in a sharp critique of "Hindutva ideologues", who look at the ancient period of Indian history as "a golden age marked by social harmony, devoid of any religious violence", has said, "Demolition and desecration of rival religious establishments, and the appropriation of their idols, was not uncommon in India before the advent of Islam".

New RTI draft rules inspired by citizen-unfriendly, overtly bureaucratic approach

By Venkatesh Nayak* The Department of Personnel and Training , Government of India has invited comments on a new set of Draft Rules (available in English only) to implement The Right to Information Act, 2005 . The RTI Rules were last amended in 2012 after a long period of consultation with various stakeholders. The Government’s move to put the draft RTI Rules out for people’s comments and suggestions for change is a welcome continuation of the tradition of public consultation. Positive aspects of the Draft RTI Rules While 60-65% of the Draft RTI Rules repeat the content of the 2012 RTI Rules, some new aspects deserve appreciation as they clarify the manner of implementation of key provisions of the RTI Act. These are: Provisions for dealing with non-compliance of the orders and directives of the Central Information Commission (CIC) by public authorities- this was missing in the 2012 RTI Rules. Non-compliance is increasingly becoming a major problem- two of my non-compliance cases are...

Political misfires in Bihar: Reasons behind the Opposition's self-inflicted defeat

By Vidya Bhushan Rawat* The Bihar Vidhansabha Election 2025 verdict is out. I maintained deliberate silence about the growing tribe of “social media” experts and their opinions. Lately, these do not fascinate me. Anyone forming an opinion solely on the basis of these “experts” lives in a fool’s paradise. I do not watch them, nor do I follow them on Twitter. I stayed away partly because I was not certain of a MahaGathbandhan victory, even though I wanted it. But my personal preference is not the issue here. The parties disappointed.

Shrinking settlements, fading schools: The Tibetan exile crisis in India

By Tseten Lhundup* Since the 14th Dalai Lama fled to India in 1959, the Tibetan exile community in Dharamsala has established the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA) as the guardian of Tibetan culture and identity. Once admired for its democratic governance , educational system , and religious vitality , the exile community now faces an alarming demographic and institutional decline.

N-power plant at Mithi Virdi: CRZ nod is arbitrary, without jurisdiction

By Krishnakant* A case-appeal has been filed against the order of the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC) and others granting CRZ clearance for establishment of intake and outfall facility for proposed 6000 MWe Nuclear Power Plant at Mithi Virdi, District Bhavnagar, Gujarat by Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited (NPCIL) vide order in F 11-23 /2014-IA- III dated March 3, 2015. The case-appeal in the National Green Tribunal at Western Bench at Pune is filed by Shaktisinh Gohil, Sarpanch of Jasapara; Hajabhai Dihora of Mithi Virdi; Jagrutiben Gohil of Jasapara; Krishnakant and Rohit Prajapati activist of the Paryavaran Suraksha Samiti. The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has issued a notice to the MoEF&CC, Gujarat Pollution Control Board, Gujarat Coastal Zone Management Authority, Atomic Energy Regulatory Board and Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited (NPCIL) and case is kept for hearing on August 20, 2015. Appeal No. 23 of 2015 (WZ) is filed, a...

Celebrating 125 yr old legacy of healthcare work of missionaries

Vilas Shende, director, Mure Memorial Hospital By Moin Qazi* Central India has been one of the most fertile belts for several unique experiments undertaken by missionaries in the field of education and healthcare. The result is a network of several well-known schools, colleges and hospitals that have woven themselves into the social landscape of the region. They have also become a byword for quality and affordable services delivered to all sections of the society. These institutions are characterised by committed and compassionate staff driven by the selfless pursuit of improving the well-being of society. This is the reason why the region has nursed and nurtured so many eminent people who occupy high positions in varied fields across the country as well as beyond. One of the fruits of this legacy is a more than century old iconic hospital that nestles in the heart of Nagpur city. Named as Mure Memorial Hospital after a British warrior who lost his life in a war while defending his cou...

Sardar Patel was on Nathuram Godse's hit list: Noted Marathi writer Sadanand More

Sadanand More (right) By A Representative In a surprise revelation, well-known Gujarati journalist Hari Desai has claimed that Nathuram Godse did not just kill Mahatma Gandhi, but also intended to kill Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel. Citing a voluminous book authored by Sadanand More, “Lokmanya to Mahatma”, Volume II, translated from Marathi into English last year, Desai says, nowadays, there is a lot of talk about conspiracy to kill Gandhi, Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, and Shyama Prasad Mukherjee, but little is known about how the Sardar was also targeted.

Search This Blog