The Hindu : National : Sonia’s assurance to social activists

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Tuesday, Oct 16, 2007
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Sonia’s assurance to social activists

Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI: United Progressive Alliance (UPA) chairperson Sonia Gandhi on Monday told a delegation of social activists that she would discuss the issue of land redistribution with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh soon after he returns from his foreign visit.

At the 45-minute meeting with social activists, led by Magsaysay Award winner Aruna Roy, Ms. Gandhi wanted to know how the Centre could initiate action on land reforms, which is primarily a State subject.

Talking to The Hindu, P.V. Rajagopal of the Ekta Parishad, which drafted a National Land Reform Policy for the government’s consideration, said: “We told her that all major initiatives, including the zamindari abolition and tenancy legislation, had been given leadership by the Central government.”

Besides Ms. Roy and Mr. Rajagopal, the delegation included Nikhil De of Mazdoor Kisan Shakti Sangathan and former bureaucrat Harsh Mander. The delegation told Ms. Gandhi about the ongoing march of 25,000 people from a dozen States to the Capital to mobilise opinion for land redistribution legislation – a commitment made by the UPA in its National Common Minimum Programme.

Urging Ms. Gandhi to take the initiative in this direction, the delegation also sought to highlight the pitfalls in keeping land redistribution issue in cold storage.

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