Bhubaneswar, March 17 (IANS): Terming the Land Acquisition Bill introduced in parliament as anti-farmer and anti-poor, the CPI (M) on Tuesday staged a demonstration here demanding the immediate withdrawal of the bill.

It said mineral-rich states like Odisha would be the worst affected if the bill becomes an act.

"The ruling BJD in Odisha, which is claiming to work for the poor, is not opposing the bill. The double standards of the party have been exposed after it staged a walkout from the Lok Sabha giving a smooth passage to the bill to gain profit from corporate houses," said Ali Kishore Patnaik, secretary, CPI (M) state unit.

The party's central committee member Janardan Pati alleged that the BJP government at the centre and the BJD government in the state are both working for the benefit of corporate players.

Stating that the governments are trying to hand over thousands of acres of land to corporate houses, he said the land losers will be affected after the bill becomes an act.