Patna, July 7: The Bihar government today made it clear that it did not want “confrontation” in carrying out land acquisition in the state.

The statement comes after the Supreme Court slammed the state governments for taking advantage of the colonial land acquisition legislation to grab land of poor farmers.

“We do not want any kind of confrontation with farmers on the issue of land acquisition for industrialisation. Rather, we want a peaceful co-existence of industries and farmers (which will be possible only when there is a peaceful land acquisition),” industries department principal secretary C.K. Mishra told reporters here.

The Bihar government’s reiteration with regard to its policy on land acquisition assumes significance as the apex court on Tuesday criticised the state governments for acquiring land by taking the advantage of the colonial land acquisition act of 1894 in the name of development.

“The common man’s right is taken away by instrumentalities of the state which should actually protect them. We can understand if land is acquired for constructing a barrage, canal or road. But, buildings, hotels, and commercial complexes are being developed (on the land) to which the common man has no access,” the court said in its order.

Mishra, however, admitted that “difficulty in carrying out land acquisition is the Bihar government’s handicap and without land acquisition, industries can’t be set up”.