Patna, March 21: LJP chief Ram Vilas Paswan today backed the Centre's proposed land acquisition (amendment) bill, terming it pro-farmer and pro-development.

Paswan, Union minister for consumer affairs, food and public distribution, made a point-wise rebuttal of the Opposition's charges on the bill, especially protests by Nitish Kumar and Lalu Prasad.

LJP convinced

Nitish sat on a fast against the bill on March 14 and Lalu led a march to Raj Bhavan the next day. "Nitish said he would not allow implementation of the bill while Lalu stated the BJP government's amendments were meant to benefit corporate houses," Paswan said. Initially, the LJP, too, had reservations over some of the clauses of the amendment bill. But, Paswan said: "Now, there is no (controversial) issue in the bill that could create hurdles in its implementation... all the issues have been sorted out."

State's discretion

Questioning chief minister Nitish's fast to protest against the bill, Paswan said: "Why did Nitish sit on a fast when it is completely the state government's discretion to implement the bill. With whose permission Nitish acquired land for Biada and at what rate payment was made to farmers?"

Merit claim

Paswan said bill is now free of any lacuna. He said: "Creating obstacles in its implementation means hampering Bihar's development. There is a proposal to build an AIIMS but from where would land come if not acquired." He added: "The bill strictly prescribes that land would be acquired for government organisations, institutions and corporations. It ensures government job for land owners and labourers dependent upon the land which would be acquired, he said. "Land acquisition of 1km on both sides of the industrial corridor would see factories, colleges, hospitals coming up and create jobs, stop migration to a great extent."

LJP meet

Paswan will launch the party's poll campaign at a state-level workers' conference at SK Memorial Hall on March 27.

Kushwaha take

Union minister of state for human resource development Upendra Kushwaha said: "Our party had reservations on land bill but Prime Minister sorted it out. What did Nitish do with land? He allowed mall culture to flourish, helped real estate boom. At Naubatpur, the government acquired land from farmers for a sugar mill but a beer factory owned by Vijay Mallya is coming up there."