Land lease bill tragedy waiting to befall farmers: Former AG

Intensifying opposition against the Centre’s proposed land lease bill draft, farmers’ organisations and environmental groups said the law would open the backdoor for large corporations to exploit small farmers.

At a symposium organised by the School of Natural Farming here on Sunday, the speakers were of the opinion that the Act would provide a back door entry for large corporations to accumulate large swaths of agricultural land. It will also allow them to hold on to it for long periods at the cost of small and medium farmers, who cultivate up to 80% of the food that is consumed in the country, they opined.

“The state government is eager to pass this Bill before the Global Investor Meet scheduled in November,” said Manjunath H, founder of the School of Natural Farming.

The draft Bill submitted by the expert committee seeks to permit and facilitate the leasing of agricultural land to the landless and marginal farmers for agricultural and allied activities.

However, policy analyst M K Ramesh said the bill does not clearly state that the land will not be used for non-agricultural activities. There is no definition for the cultivator of the land, which could mean anyone could take agricultural lands on lease.

He said the provisions of the Bill override any other law in force on the subject concerned and undo all the progress achieved by the land reforms during the Devaraj Urs government.

Former advocate general, Prof Ravivarma Kumar, said the bill was a serious tragedy waiting to befall on the farmers and against the federal structure of India. He added that the Bill violates fundamental rights, such as equality and the right to livelihood, guaranteed by the Constitution.

Farmers’ organisations have decided to hold protests in all districts on February 27 against the Bill. They have also planned to reach out to other farmers at the taluk level and send representations to their respective legislators.

Social anthropologist A R Vasavi expressed concern that farmers, who provide the land, may end up suffering for the mistake of leaseholders.