Congress has no moral right to criticise land ordince'

New Delhi, May 13: The central government on Wednesday said the Congress had no “moral right” to criticise the land ordince as the party has acquired acres of land while the older version of the act was in place. “Since 1984 to 2013, lakhs of acres of land have been acquired by the Congress for SEZs and commercial purposes without giving proper compensation. They have no moral right to criticise our legislation,” Parliamentary Affairs Minister M. Venkaiah idu said.

Asked if the government would re-promulgate the land ordince, idu said: “There are processes and there is precedence.” “Certain ordinces have been re-promulgated more than thrice,” he said. He ,however, refused to give a clear answer to the question. A bill to amend the Land Acquisition Act introduced in the Lok Sabha has been sent to a joint parliamentary committee which is expected to give its report by the first day of the monsoon session. The ordince may therefore lapse before the bill is passed in the two houses. (IANS)