Land acquisition: Protest in other states too, minister tells Prakash Raj

Bengaluru: Taking exception to actor Prakash Raj’s active participation in farmers’ protests against land acquisition in Devanahalli, Large and Medium Industries Minister M B Patil on Tuesday urged the actor to also protest in neighbouring states, where governments have acquired large tracts.  

The minister told reporters here, “Here (in Karnataka), our government has decided to acquire just 1,282 acres for the proposed hi-tech aerospace and defence park. In neighbouring Andhra Pradesh, the government has acquired 10,000 acres of land from Madakashira to Penugonda, bordering our state, for a similar purpose and is even offering the land free of cost.” 

Patil also referred to the industrial expansion by Tamil Nadu in Hosur (50 km from Bengaluru) and the plans by the Tamil Nadu government to have an international airport there.

“Does Prakash Raj not see these developments? I don’t have any personal grudge against him. He has considerable influence in Andhra Pradesh (AP). Let him protest there and Telangana too,” he said. Farmers from 13 villages in Channarayapatna hobli in Devanahalli taluk have been protesting against the acquisition of 1,777 acres of land by Karnataka Industrial Areas Development Board (KIADB) for the park.

The government has announced to drop the acquisition of 495 acres, but protestors have refused to budge and insisted on cancelling the entire project.

Defending the acquisition of land at Devanahalli, Patil explained that Karnataka contributes 65% to the country’s aerospace and defence sector and holds the top rank nationally. The state is home to major players like HAL, Safran, Boeing, Airbus, Collins, and Lockheed Martin, he said.

“We already have an aerospace park adjacent to Devanahalli airport. To strengthen our position further, the government proposes another such park nearby. If AP succeeds in setting up the aerospace and defence park, companies in this sector may shift their operations to that state, causing losses of unimaginable proportions to Karnataka. Farmers who lose their land will be compensated under the Land Acquisition Act, 2013,” the minister said.

“Does Prakash Raj not see these developments? I don’t have any personal grudge against him. He has considerable influence in Andhra Pradesh (AP). Let him protest there and Telangana too.

M B Patil