New Delhi: BJP on Thursday countered the allegations made by Congress against it on the land bill saying it was Congress chief ministers who had sought changes in the Land Acquisition Act as the previous bill was "hampering" development and land acquisition for social sector programmes.
BJP also asked Congress why the UPA government had exempted big projects from social impact assessment and consent clause in land acquisition and alleged that the last Haryana government of Congress had handed over majority land from poor farmers to builders and big industrialists.
It also alleged that the then state government also took land acquisition out of the purview of social impact assessment and consent clause and handed over the land to private builders and corporate houses, while kept the land acquired for social projects hanging in these clauses.
BJP said that Haryana's department of Urban Estates had released 10,928.54 acres from land acquisition proceedings between 2005 to 2014 and another 8,381.10 acres by the Department of Industries, alleging that the land was to only benefit builders and corporate houses.
In its counter-offensive, BJP said while Congress kept 13 laws out of the purview of the social impact and consent clause, the NDA government has empowered the states and asked them to take the decision on these clauses as per its needs.
On the allegation that land will be taken back in case the project is not completed within a specific period, BJP said Maharashtra, Assam, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh and Haryana, besides others have in a letter to the Centre said that due to this projects like irrigation and housing for poor will be stalled.
On officers provided with special protection for violating land law, BJP said whenever there is any violation the law of the land will prevail and the courts will take note of it.
On charges of setting aside procedures before bringing the law, the ruling party said the previous Congress regime had done so and not carried out any consultations whereas its government had sought suggestions from all stakeholders including Chief Ministers who sought changes in the law.
It also said that during UPA regime 70 lakh employment opportunities were reduced and the money was spent by previous government on vote-luring schemes that could have been spent on building infrastructurer in rural areas.
