New Delhi, April 20 (IANS): Charging that the land acquisition ordinance was being brought through the "backdoor", the Congress on Monday asked the government to withdraw the temporary legislation that was brought "against" the will of the people.

"You (the government) brought the ordinance in the form of the land acquisition bill (in Lok Sabha). Despite the strong opposition, the bill was passed and was later sent to Rajya Sabha, where it was dropped," Congress leader in the Lok Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge said.

"But it was later brought back as ordinance against the will of the people. You brought it through backdoor," he charged.

He said the government was trying to "impose" the land ordinance on the people.

The Congress asked the government to withdraw the bill and retain the Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act, 2013, that was "passed unanimously" in parliament.

Kharge said the "people want to retain the 2013 Act... it was good for the people".