The BJP today refuted the charge that the Land Acquisition Bill brought by the Narendra Modi government was "anti-farmer" and claimed that "long-term interests" of the agriculturists had been kept in mind while preparing the draft.

The party also defended the decision to go for the ordinance route pointing out that notification of the proposed Act by a certain date was a "constitutional obligation".

"Opposition parties like the Congress, Trinamool, Samajwadi Party and Bahujan Samaj Party have been carrying out a relentless campaign to create an impression that the ordinance is anti-farmer. We want to make it clear that contrary to their claims, the provisions in the ordinance will provide huge long-term benefits to the farmers of the country," BJP national secretary Siddharth Nath Singh told reporters.