PM Modi asks BJP MPs to counter opposition campaign on land bill

Facing opposition tirade over the land bill, the Bharatiya Janata Party on Tuesday asked its MPs to go all-out to counter the "disinformation propaganda" by the Congress party and others on all issues even as Prime Minister Narendra Modi lauded Agriculture Minister Radha Mohan Singh's strong retort on farmers' issue.

Parliamentary Affairs Minister M Venkaiah Naidu alleged that the Congress is continuously trying to spread falsehood as truth and asked party MPs to counter it aggressively.

Lauding the agriculture minister for his strong retort in Lok Sabha on Tuesday, the prime minister said though he could not hear Singh's reply himself he got some good feedback and comments about him on the social media.

Sources said addressing party MPs at the BJP Parliamentary Party meeting the prime minister also asked the party leaders not to worry and move forward on issues connected with the people.

“The prime minister complimented Agriculture Minister Radha Mohan Singh for his strong retort in Lok Sabha while replying to the debate on farmers' issue,” Union Minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi told reporters.

“The prime minister hailed the agriculture minister for giving a reply backed by facts. He said that though he did not hear the reply, he was told that the agriculture minister spoke well and factually.” another minister said.

Naqvi said the prime minister spoke of social reformer Basaveshwara, a strong proponent of democratic rights, and informed the members that his statue will come up in London soon.

On the land bill, party leaders said the opposition campaign needs to be countered and after all opposition chief ministers and leaders of various parties raised serious concerns and shortcomings in the 2013 land bill, the government came up with the new bill after talking to all stakeholders.

“After the nine amendments that have come in the new land bill, there is not much scope for drastic changes in it,” Naqvi said.