JOIN USCongress too takes to streets for farmers
Leading a protest organised by the Bangalore North Taluk Land Owners’ and Revenue Site Holders’ Protection Forum at Anand Rao Circle here, he said, the government was trying to cheat the farmers by not giving adequate compensation towards acquisition of their lands.
“The Bangalore Development Authority (BDA) has cheated the farmers by fixing price of their lands at less than present market value. Moreover, the BDA is trying to acquire the lands much against the farmers’ will. The Chief Minister BS Yeddyurappa took oath in the name of farmers, but let them down ever since he assumed office,” Siddaramaiah fumed.
Why minimum price?
MLA Krishna Byre Gowda urged the Government to give up the formation of Dr Shivaram Karanth housing layout by acquiring the farmers’ lands. “What crimes have the farmers in the State committed? Why the government is fixing minimum price to farmers’ lands? The BJP government has been meting out injustice ever since it came to power. The government is trying to ruin agriculture in the name of development. The police use their canes when the farmers protest against injustice,” the Congress MLA charged.
Former leader of the Opposition in the Council V S Ugrappa said the BDA was planning to acquire 3,546 acre and 12 gunta land in 17 villages for a peripheral road.
Market rate
“The BDA has fixed between just Rs 20 to 30 lakh, whereas the market rate is between Rs 2.5 crore to 6 crore. Hence, the land acquiring process should be stalled immediately or present market price should be fixed. The Congress Party will organise severe protests if the government fails to protect farmers’ interests,” he said.
Leader of the Opposition in the Council Motamma, MLA Dinesh Gundu Rao and others participated in the protest along with several farmers from Bangalore North Taluk. Home Minister V S Acharya visited the spot and held talks with the leaders. They withdrew the protest after Acharya’s visit.
Protest by Raitha Sangha
Meanwhile, Karnataka Rajya Raitha Sangha on Monday announced that it would also launch an agitation against the NICE road project. Demanding the scrapping of the proposal to build five townships as part of the project, the Sangha warned of a simultaneous agitation.
The decision to launch the agitation was arrived at after meeting farmers at as many as 30 villages on Bangalore-Mysore road, working president of the Sangha Kodihalli Chandrashkhar informed. The government should provide suitable compensation for acquiring farm lands for the project. The date of commencing the agitation would be decided soon, he said.
He claimed that all the farmers hit by the project would take part in the agitation. "We will welcome any support extended by the political parties. The agitation, however, will not be launched under the aegis of any political party. The project should be executed according to the original Framework Agreement. We would severely oppose the project if it was implemented as per the Outer Development Plan of 2006," Chandrashekhar said.