New Delhi:Â The back and forth between the incumbent government, the Opposition over the land acquisition bill and the hullabaloo over its re-promulgation has put politicians in a bit of a fix.
Some politicians who are part of the Joint Committee of Parliament have become quite disenchanted by the entire process in a manner that they are mulling to ‘boycott’ it, before examining the draft legislation.
So much so that at least three members from different parties confirmed that they were in touch with one another and would take a decision on whether or not to participate in the work next week.
“Both options — to boycott or to continue — are on the table,†a member said. But the Trinamool Congress has decided to fight it from within.
One of the first to show their disinterest was CPI(M) General Secretary Sitaram Yechury who on Tuesday said that his political party was actively contemplating “withdrawing†from the committee.
Mohammad Salim, the party member on the panel, said the Opposition members were in consultation with one another as the re-promulgation of the ordinance at this juncture was unacceptable.
The CPI(M) would take a final decision at its central committee meeting here in the coming weekend, after consulting other Left parties, he said.
“We will oppose the Land Bill 200 per cent, but boycotting parliamentary committee is not the solution. We will not allow the Bill. We will fight it every step,†Derek O’Brien, Trinamool member on the committee, said in a late-night statement.
Jairam Ramesh, one of the Congress members, under whose watch as Union Minister the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act was passed in 2013, said that he believes that the third promulgation is an insult to the select committee and makes a complete mockery of its work.
Janata Dal (United) member Sharad Yadav was non-committal, saying a decision would be taken on his return to Delhi on Friday.