There was a face-off between Congress leader Anand Sharma (left) and Finance Minister Arun Jaitley in Rajya Sabha
The BJP's ally Shiv Sena has skipped a meeting of lawmakers from the ruling coalition called to discuss strategy in the face of a united opposition determined to block the government's move to push a controversial land bill through Parliament.
Here are the latest developments in the story:
The Shiv Sena emphasised that its absence at the meeting does not mean it's against the government on the issue. But said the party's Sanjay Raut, "Shiv Sena is also not against the farmer... we will deliberate within the party and then announce our opinion."
All opposition parties and some that have in the past supported the Narendra Modi government, have alleged that the changes in the land acquisition laws that it is seeking to push are "anti-farmer."
The Modi government tabled a bill to replace the controversial ordinance in the Lok Sabha today amid allegations from the opposition that it is trying to give parliamentary procedure a go by. The Congress walked out.
Outside Parliament, activist Anna Hazare led a farmer's protest alleging that the land ordinance seeks to change the law to favour only industrialists. Delhi chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal joined the protest today and slammed the central government.
Under pressure, the BJP has reached out to farmers. Party chief Amit Shah has set up an eight-member committee which will collect suggestions from farmers on land acquisition.
Eight ordinances need to be cleared by both Houses in the next few weeks or they will lapse. The government has a commanding majority in the Lok Sabha, but is in a minority in the Rajya Sabha and needs the support of opposition parties to pass laws in that House.
The government is now counting on the time it will get in the next few days when the Rail and Union Budgets are presented, to strategically work on ensuring the support it needs in the Upper House.
In the Rajya Sabha, it has promised a detailed discussion before it tables the land bill. Finance Minister Arun Jaitley defended the slew of ordinances issued by the government when Congress leader Anand Sharma alleged, "You expect Parliament to rubberstamp your ordinances... you don't send anything to the Standing Committee."
The Congress alleges that the Modi government's land ordinance "fundamentally alters" a law that was passed with the BJP's approval two years ago. The ordinance seeks to scrap a social impact assessment and the need for the consent of 70 per cent land owners before agricultural land is acquired.
Restrictions on buying land, under the law championed by the Congress government, are among barriers holding up projects worth almost $300 billion or nearly Rs. 20 lakh crore in sectors such as rail, steel, mining and roads.
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