The Hindu : Karnataka / Bangalore News : BJP’s promise draws flak from JD(U)

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Tuesday, May 20, 2008
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Karnataka

Karnataka - Bangalore

BJP’s promise draws flak from JD(U)

Special Correspondent

BANGALORE: The Janata Dal (U) on Monday urged the Bharatiya Janata Party to withdraw its controversial poll promise of deleting two provisions requiring permission for conversion of agricultural land into non-agricultural purposes and regarding the restrictions on sale of agricultural land.

In its poll manifesto, the BJP said it would delete the provision requiring permission from various authorities for using farmland for non-agricultural purposes under the Karnataka Land Revenue Act. Also, it has promised to withdraw one more provision which placed restrictions on the sale as well as purchase of agricultural land under the Karnataka Land Reforms Act.

While the BJP said that such an action would relieve the farmers of hardships and end corruption, the Janata Dal (U) termed the promise as “anti-farmer” and “anti-agriculture” which would only favour the real estate lobby and the land mafia.

Addressing presspersons here, Janata Dal (U) general secretary and spokesman Shambhu Shrivastwa said the above two measures, if implemented, would lead to further shrinkage of farmland and result in serious food shortage as well as hunger deaths.

Such a measure would also make farmers lose a steady income as it would be easy for industrialists and land sharks to buy the farmland.

He called upon voters in the districts going to the polls in the final phase to reject the BJP if it failed to withdraw these controversial promises.

When asked why the JD (U) was raising the issue so late after the completion of two phases of polling, he said the party candidates had already raised the issue at the local level. He took exception to the silence of the Congress and the Janata Dal (Secular) to such a promise of the BJP and said those parties too had succumbed to the real estate lobby.

Alliance

Even as its efforts to have a pre-poll tie-up in the State failed, the Janata Dal (U) says it is open to the idea of having a post-poll alliance.

Mr. Shrivastwa told The Hindu that the party had kept its options open in this regard.

When specifically asked if the JD (U) was ready to join hands with the BJP after the polls if the BJP needed its support to form the government, Mr. Shrivastwa only said that: “we are open to having a post-poll alliance with any party other than the Congress.”

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