Sonia Gandhi Leads Opposition March to Rashtrapati Bhawan Against Land Bill

Mangalore Today News Network

New Delhi, Mar 17, 2015:  More than 100 lawmakers led by Congress president Sonia Gandhi have begun a march from Parliament House to the Rashtrapati Bhawan less than a km away, in protest against the government’s land reforms.

 

The government intervened to allow the protest march after the Delhi police declared that the lawmakers could not collect at Parliament House as the area is under Section 144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, which prohibits the assembly of more than four persons, when Parliament is in session.

 

 

A letter from the Delhi Police said under the circumstances, "it is requested that the Honourable members of Parliament may be advised not to proceed to R.P. Bhavan."
 
Home Ministry sources, however, clarified that the march requires no permission as lawmakers can visit the President’s House by any mode of transport that they prefer, including on foot.

Police presence has also been strengthened along the route to avert any untoward incident, especially after yesterday, when Youth Congress members clashed with the police as they attempted to storm barricades while protesting against the land acquisition bill passed in the Lok Sabha last week.
 
The police had to use water cannons to control the protesters at Delhi’s Parliament Street. "We will take care that violation of any rule will not take place," said Delhi police chief BS Bassi about today’s march.

Mrs Gandhi will lead a delegation that includes members of parties like the Janata Dal (United), the Rashtriya Janata Dal, the Left Front, DMK, Trinamool Congress and others. At the end of the march, they will hand over a memorandum to President Pranab Mukherjee.

Leaders like JD(U) chief Sharad Yadav and NCP’s Praful Patel said they ready to court arrest when informed about the Delhi Police letter prohibiting the march.
 
The Congress, which helped pass the Insurance Bill in Rajya Sabha, has refused to back the land bill.
 
The party says it can only support the 2013 version of the bill, which was formulated with a broad consensus of all parties, including the BJP, during its rule at the centre. Or then, says the Congress, the current bill must be sent to a parliamentary committee for review.

 

Coutesy: NDTV