Land Acquisition Ordinance is only about robbing farmers of their land: Uddhav Thackeray

Mumbai: BJP ally and NDA member Shiv Sena on Friday alleged that the new land bill was "only about forcibly taking away lands" in the name of development, and said his party would continue to oppose it.

"We have been constantly accused of opposing the bill, whereas I have no intention of stalling the development of the country. But this bill is against the interests of farmers. Therefore, we oppose it," Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray said here on Friday.

Thackeray, whose party is not on the best of the terms with BJP in the state as well as at the Central level, was addressing a gathering on the occasion of 'Marathi day'.

"Do not force farmers. Go and talk to them and win their hearts. They will happily give their lands," Thackeray said.

He alleged that in the name of development the government was only making the helpless farmers poorer with this bill.

"There is so much barren land where nothing is grown. Show us what development have you done there. Tell us how much land have you taken for development and actually inititiated development projects thereon. This bill is only about forcibly taking away lands in the name of development and making people poorer," Thackeray said.

"Farmers voted for you and made your leaders MPs thinking you will do development for them. With what face you will go to them after taking away all they have," Thackeray said.