SEZOn behalf of women members of Samiti, Hema S Bhat submitted a memorandum to Mr Gandhi and informed that at a massive farmers’ rally held on January 29, farmers across the district supported by over 150 organisations of the district resolved to work against the party that does not support the farmers stand against the Mangalore SEZ in the upcoming elections.
All the national parties except Congress have declared their support to the farmers cause and taken a public position to oppose the Mangalore SEZ and consequent PCPIR project.
The letter further said that though the young and junior leaders of the district Congress empathised with the cause, the senior leaders have been totally insensitive and have taken anti-people stance.
The letter stated that Congress has already lost MCC to BJP for the first time ever and the party may further have to loose its strong hold in the district due to the attitude of the senior leaders.
The letter requested Mr Gandhi to advise the senior leaders to open their eyes to reality and be receptive to the people’s sentiments and concerns.
Students from St Aloysius College of Social Work too submitted a memorandum to Mr Gandhi requesting him to rethink over sanctioning of SEZ in fertile agricultural land.
They further requested that the Supreme Court and Central Government directives (forbidding the acquisition of agricultural lands for SEZ)  must be strictly followed and local people must be consulted with regard to establishment of SEZ.