Ahmedabad

Congress leader Jairam Ramesh today alleged that Prime Minister Narendra Modi was lying about the amendments made by his government to the land acquisition Bill, and said he “appreciates” the RSS’ stand on the issue.

Ramesh, who was here to brief the media about his party’s stand on the second land ordinance, claimed that Modi was taking undue credit for some provisions in the new bill which were already there in the bill passed during UPA rule in 2013.

“…our PM is repeatedly telling lies about the bill in ‘Mann Ki Baat’ and in his speeches… It seems Modi believes people will start believing the lies if they are repeated.

“The PM claimed he is bringing a new law with a provision where land-losers will get four-times more compensation. This provision is already there in the old law….provisions about resettlement are also there,” the former Union minster said.

The Rajya Sabha MP also slammed Modi for his claims that defence-related projects were stalled due to the 2013 law saying, “this is a total lie. If Modi takes pain to read Section 40, he will learn that the old law has already exempted defence projects from obtaining consent or from social impact assessment for the land acquisition.”

Congress’ opposition was not political, but was for the greater cause of people living in villages as well as cities, he said, alleging that Modi government was planning to change the existing law only for the benefit of corporates.

Ramesh praised the RSS on its stand on the land acquisition Bill. “I am not a supporter of RSS, but I appreciate that their leaders have voiced concern over the new bill,” he said.

– PTI