01-08-2007, 07:02 PM
<b>The worst of times</b>--Arun Nehru
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->Ms Mamata Banerjee and the Trinamool Congress have stolen the thunder from the CPI(M) and are once again in the race to win 8-10 seats in the next Lok Sabha election. The Congress is in the background. Ms Banerjee was willing to give her life for her "convictions" and this was very different from the more celebrated leaders who were agitating on similar lines, but with the objective of scoring political points.
<b>For the State Government to act as an estate agent of MNCs does not make sense. A displaced farmer deserves a fair compensation for his land, and must have the facility to negotiate on the market value.</b>
The Union Government is withdrawing subsidies as the reforms progress. Does it make sense to provide land subsidy to MNCs at the cost of farmers? The reality is that there are few rules which have not been violated by the land mafia. And the only option for those hurt by these moves is to get into wasteful legal activities which may stretch up to a decade.
<b>There is so much land available for industry in all the States; land which is not fit for agriculture. Why not use it for the industry? </b>Ms Banerjee may or may not succeed politically, but she has brought about a change. Those who acquire land in the future for wrong reasons will have to contend with more than just hunger strikes.
<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->Ms Mamata Banerjee and the Trinamool Congress have stolen the thunder from the CPI(M) and are once again in the race to win 8-10 seats in the next Lok Sabha election. The Congress is in the background. Ms Banerjee was willing to give her life for her "convictions" and this was very different from the more celebrated leaders who were agitating on similar lines, but with the objective of scoring political points.
<b>For the State Government to act as an estate agent of MNCs does not make sense. A displaced farmer deserves a fair compensation for his land, and must have the facility to negotiate on the market value.</b>
The Union Government is withdrawing subsidies as the reforms progress. Does it make sense to provide land subsidy to MNCs at the cost of farmers? The reality is that there are few rules which have not been violated by the land mafia. And the only option for those hurt by these moves is to get into wasteful legal activities which may stretch up to a decade.
<b>There is so much land available for industry in all the States; land which is not fit for agriculture. Why not use it for the industry? </b>Ms Banerjee may or may not succeed politically, but she has brought about a change. Those who acquire land in the future for wrong reasons will have to contend with more than just hunger strikes.
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