http://www.ndtv.com/convergence/ndtv/story.aspx?id=NEWEN20070029542&ch=10/16/2007%203:47:00%20PM
Land policy: Sonia assures activists Press Trust of India Tuesday, October 16, 2007 (New Delhi) Congress President Sonia Gandhi has assured social activists that the UPA will consider working out a land policy and creation of a National Land Commission to protect the interests of people in rural areas, tribals and Dalits. The assurance was given to a group of activists led by Magsaysay Award winner Aruna Roy. The group met Gandhi on Monday demanding that the UPA live up to the promise made in its National Common Minimum Programme of carrying out land reforms. ''We want the Government to formulate a National Land Policy and set up a National Land Commission that will safeguard the land rights of people who are dependent on land for their livelihood. Land to the tiller, as has been the policy, should not be endangered by any new law or policy,'' Roy said. She said Gandhi assured the delegation that she would speak with the Prime Minister on the issues raised by the activists upon his return from his visit to Nigeria and South Africa. The activists have already given a copy of a Land Policy that they have drafted to the Prime Minister. The activists met Gandhi as around 25,000 tribals and farmers are marching to the capital in a yatra from Gwalior demanding that their land rights be protected. The yatra will reach Delhi on October 29.
