In a debate moderated by TIMES NOW's Editor-in-Chief Arnab Goswami, panelists -- Nalin Kohli, Natl Spokesperson, BJP & Advocate; Sunil Alagh, Chairman, S K A Advisors, PC Chacko, Senior Leader, Congress; Atul Kumar Anjan, Natl Secy, CPI; and Hartosh Singh Bal, Political Editor, Caravan -- discuss the issue of Land Bill war getting bigger, Cong V-P Rahul Gandhi making a comeback fight, and as to who is compromising farmers'interests.
Projecting the government as "anti-farmer" and "pro industrialist", Congress declared full scale war against it over Land Acquisition Bill with Rahul Gandhi accusing Prime Minister Narendra Modi of bringing ordinance on it to pay back 'loan' of industrialists. The Congress Vice President, who just returned from a two-month absence from public life, said the new land bill is not only against the interests of farmers but also the tribals.BJP hit back at Congress' all-out attack on its government on the land bill and asked the opposition party to explain "Vadra model" of development and land acquisition and demanded that Rahul Gandhi apologises from people for "insulting" the most popular mandate given to it. The party, while condemning the "brazen contempt againstthe popular mandate", also took a dig at Rahul Gandhi's "relaunch" at the Congress 'Kisan Rally' at Ramlila maidan, questioning whether the Congress scion will be relaunched after every defeat. BJP also accused Rahul of speaking a "white lie" on the land bill and for spreading disinformation on the issue even when it has been made clear that as far as acquisition for corporate houses or for private businesses was concerned, the entire 2013 land bill will apply.