Faced with mounting anti-Land Bill protests — from farmers to a united Opposition marching to the President and veteran social activist Anna Hazare threatening to launch an agitation — the government on Thursday said it is ready for an open debate on the issue in any forum.

“We have not made any compromises on compensation and rehabilitation. None of the proposed provisions of the Bill are anti-farmer. Instead, these will ensure the prosperity of farmers,” Union Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari said in an open letter.

Defending the controversial amendments to the earlier Bill passed by the UPA in 2013, such as on the consent clause and social impact assessment, Gadkari said he has invited Congress president Sonia Gandhi and Hazare for an open debate on any aspect of the legislation “I have written a letter to Sonia Gandhi and Anna Hazare and have given them an invitation for an open discussion,” he told media persons here.

The contentious Bill is awaiting clearance in the Rajya Sabha, where the NDA government is in a minority.

The Lok Sabha passed the Bill last week with nine amendments amid a walkout by key Opposition parties.

Meeting held Denying the Opposition’s charge that they were not consulted before making key changes in the earlier Bill, Gadkari said a meeting had been held in Delhi’s Vigyan Bhawan with all the State Ministers concerned.

Almost all the States were represented, he said, adding that “we also have letters by those Chief Ministers.”

Earlier, addressing farmers at a Samiksha Adhiveshan on the Bill, organised by the All India Panchayat Parishad here, Gadkari slammed the opposition parties’ attempt to “mislead” farmers for vote bank politics.

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