NIL

PM Modi assures nation on secularism, farmers' interest

by IBNS 27 Feb 2015, 11:29 am

New Delhi, Feb 27 (IBNS) Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday assured the Indian Parliament that he would only uphold the Constitution of India in matter of religion and is ready to change anything in a controversial law on land acquisition if it is anti-farmer.

Modi in his speech told Parliament that if there is anything anti-farmer in the Land Acquisition Amendment Bill being challenged by the Opposition he is ready to correct it.
 
"There may be shortcoming from our side too but if it is anything anti-farmer, I am ready to correct it. I am not claiming any credit for it," he told the Lok Sabha.
 
He said the bill was envisaged by the previous government and his party had supported it then. 
 
He said the previous governments (Congress) did nothing to change the land acquisition law of the nation dating back to 1894 for 60 years since India gained independence. 

The new law has been challenged by the political opposition as well as the social groups, including anti-corruption activist Anna Hazare. 
 
On the issue of communal attacks, he said the only faith of his government is India first and upholding of the country's Constitution. 
 
 Modi told the House: "The only religion of my government is India first."
 
"The only faith of my government is our Constitution," said Modi. 
 
He said India's identity is its pluralism and diversity.
 
The Modi government was facing criticism over a spate of attacks on Christian religious and educational places of late.