Mumbai: Anti-corruption activist Anna Hazare has termed the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government “anti-farmer" at a time when the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is locked in a bitter electoral battle with the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) led by his erstwhile disciple Arvind Kejriwal in Delhi.

The reason for Hazare’s ire is the decision of the BJP-led NDA government’s amendment of the Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement (LARR) Act, 2013 through ordinance route.

In an article posted on his Facebook page called Anna Hazare Office both in English and Marathi, Hazare wrote: “It was expected that the new government will act pro-farmer and provide them some relief. However, this ordinance adequately clarifies that this government is an anti-farmer government and it wants to promote crony capitalism at the cost of farmers and their land."

Hazare wrote there had been a provision in the Act that the consent of at least 70% of the residents of a local area was required for land acquisition and farmers should be adequately compensated for their land. It also had a provision that land would be returned to farmers within five years, if it was not used for the purpose for which it was acquired. However, the ordinance diluted all these provisions to such an extent they had become irrelevant.

Hazare, who seems to have become disillusioned with the Narendra Modi government, had on 29 January said he would soon launch an agitation against the central government for failing to take any substantial action to bring back to the country the black money stashed in tax havens overseas.

Maharashtra BJP’s spokesperson Madhav Bhandari said, “In democracy, everyone has the right to differ; so, Hazare also has the right to criticize the government. However, we will like to appeal to Anna to take (into consideration) many positive changes Modi government made in LARR Act protecting farmers’ interests like giving them right to become shareholders in projects for which their land is going to get acquired."

The BJP and AAP square off in Delhi assembly elections on Saturday. Hazare distanced himself from Kejriwal after he entered electoral politics.

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