Eye on 2012

There is no doubt that our politics needs to engage with questions of land acquisition. India must come up with an efficient and demonstrably fair mechanism for evaluating and acquiring agricultural land for industry. The effects of whatever law is finalised will be so far-reaching that it will need wide political participation and consultation. But the political engagement with the problem needs to be constructive and responsible qualities not on display in the response to recent developments in western Uttar Pradesh. Agra,Aligarh and Greater Noida have been wracked by protest in the past few days,following some farmers demands that they be paid a higher price for the land being acquired for the giant expressway projects fanning out from Delhi. At least four people,including two policemen,have died in the violence.

The political reaction to this violence has left a lot to be desired. Ajit Singh,the leader of the Rashtriya Lok Dal,a pivotal component of western UPs political landscape,was arrested when he tried to get to the protest site in Greater Noida; the BJPs local leaders have blamed it on the chief ministers arrogance. The Congress,which is at power at the Centre has set aside discussion on the land acquisition bill,the need for which this violence was an urgent reminder. Meanwhile,Rajnath Singh,former BJP president,and Sharad Yadav,president of the JDU,would like all land acquisition to be put on hold till a national law comes into force. Rather than searching for solutions,there has been a political scramble to take advantage of the protests.

That there is an incentive to do so should perhaps not surprise us: UP goes to the polls early next year,and it will no doubt be a tight,four-cornered race. With,in western UP,Ajit Singhs RLD as well. But the Indian electorate is not so easily fooled. Those who jump onto bandwagons without demonstrating that they can envision and implement a solution find that no amount of irresponsible politics will help them. And,in the meanwhile,they will have allowed a genuine problem to grow worse.