India's most powerful politician, Sonia Gandhi, on Thursday promised legislation in parliament soon to reform land acquisition rules after deadly clashes near the national capital. "We will soon bring a bill in parliament on land acquisition," the ruling national Congress party president told a political rally in the city of Varanasi in northern Uttar Pradesh state.
The national Congress government is planning to replace the British colonial era Land Acquisition Act with a new law to reduce conflicts over valuation of land and minimise social disruption caused by industrial projects. Earlier this month, two policemen and two farmers died in clashes in Uttar Pradesh state close to the outskirts of New Delhi amid protests demanding greater compensation for their land.
Farmers have been staging demonstrations for more than three months to push for more money for the land, which is to be used for a new 165-kilometre (100 mile) expressway between the city of Agra in Uttar Pradesh and New Delhi. Agra is home to the Taj Mahal, India's famed monument to love and the country's biggest tourist draw. "I am ashamed at what happened there," Gandhi said, referring to the clashes.