Union Minister Nitin Gadkari on Thursday tried to dispel fears of farmers on the new land bill saying government will not do anything which is against their interests and is ready to accept any suggestions from the opposition.

New Delhi: Union Minister Nitin Gadkari on Thursday tried to dispel fears of farmers on the new land bill saying government will not do anything which is against their interests and is ready to accept any suggestions from the opposition.

Addressing farmers at a 'Samiksha Adhiveshan' on Land Acquisition Bill organised by All-India Panchayat Parishad here on Thursday, he said an attempt is being to "mislead" farmers in the country for vote-bank politics.

"We are in favour of farmers. Our government will never take any decision that does injustice with farmers. We have made changes in the bill that go in farmers' interests and have focused on their rehabilitation and resettlement. I invite all for an open debate," he said.

Attacking the opposition parties for their opposition to the bill, Gadkari said, "they are trying to mislead people on the new bill. They are doing this drama for their own political gains and for their vote bank politics. I appeal to them for an open debate. I challenge them and if proved wrong, we are ready to seek an apology and include your suggestions."

He also attacked the Congress for leading a march of all opposition parties against the new bill and questioned what it was doing for the last 55 years when they were in power in the country and why they did not think of developing rural infrastructure in the country all these years.

"Now when there is talk of developing rural infrastructure, they are opposing it. Where were they all these years when they were in power. Why did they not develop infrastructure in rural areas all these areas?," he said.

The Union Transport Minister said as per the new bill, we have decided to increase land compensation up to four times to farmers in rural areas and double the land price in urban areas, besides their resettlement and jobs to their kin.

He added that it was the UPA government which had excluded 13 laws outside the ambit of the provisions of mandatory consent and social impact under its bill and BJP government has only added a few more issues to the exempted list that include acquisition of land for defence and security, rural and social infrastructure, besides setting up of industrial corridors.

He also contended that chief ministers of Congress and Communist-ruled states have opposed the old land bill and have sought changes while the political parties are trying to do politics and mislead the people by doing marches outside Parliament.