We will not allow NDA to pass land Bill: Jairam

VRINDAVAN, West Champaran: A day after the merger of the 'Janata Parivar' and three days ahead of its vice president Rahul Gandhi's expected 'wapsi' at a mega-rally in New Delhi, the Congress launched a blistering attack on the NDA government's attempt to impose its new land Bill.
"We will accept nothing else but kanoon-wapasi," former union minister Jairam Ramesh said here on Thursday reiterating that the Congress is not interested in any (new) debate on the land acquisition Bill.For us, the 2013 law is sacred," he said.
Ramesh, accompanied by senior party leaders Nikhil Kumar, KL Sharma and Anil Sharma earlier walked the last mile of an over 350 km 'Kisan-Mazdoor Nyay Padayatra'- from Bodh Gaya to Champaran-led by BPCC chief Ashok Kumar Chaudhary that culminated at this Gandhian village- a hub of basic schools and 'khadi' industry set up by the Mahatma in 1938-39.
As the padayatris hit the village road from the highway, their marching feet kicked up dust that mixed with husk being blown into the air by wheat threshers operating in the harvested fields. The Congress tricolour swayed in the dusty wind against the blare of songs-ranging from Bollywood to Bhojpuri parodies. "Congress is with farmers, why did you change the policy Modiji?," crooned one Bhojpuri number. That the Congress is getting battle-ready in Bihar to combat the Modi phenomenon was loud and clear. The combative mood perhaps also conveyed a subtle sub-text: That the grand old party would be game in allying with the new 'Janata Parivar' to humble the BJP in Bihar.
"This padayatra is not a mere formality," former BPCC chief Anil Sharma quipped even as the loud speaker unveiled the Congress' plan for 2019, "Rahul ko PM banana hai."
That Rahul was the leade in-absentia was evident from his picture emblazoned across T-shirt chests. "I am thankful to Rahulji for giving me, a dalit, the responsibility to head the party," Chaudhary said. "The Congress is the soul of the nation. We will bounce back," he added. "About two dozen women marched the distance," BPCC Women's Cell chief Ameeta Bhushan said. Farmers, agricultural labourers and women in large numbers took a break from harvesting and threshing of their rabi crop to join the padayatris.
"A saint from Sabarmati had come here 98 years ago to alleviate the lot of farmers," Ramesh said, adding, "Another saint from Sabarmati wanting Congress-mukt Bharat is now bent on providing a Kisan-mukt Bharat," Ramesh attacked the PM on the land bill. "This new saint wears Rs 10 lakh suits. He's a fashion icon...a 'ghumantu' (travelling) PM who- instead of redressing farmers' woes- issues statements from Paris, Berlin and Canada.