Now Reading: Deve Gowda leads JD(S) march against Bidadi land acquisition
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Deve Gowda leads JD(S) march against Bidadi land acquisition
Former Prime Minister H D Deve Gowda on Monday joined the JD(S) padayatre opposing the acquisition of farmers' land for the Greater Bengaluru Integrated Township (GBIT) project near Bidadi. The three-day march,…
The Story in Brief
Former Prime Minister H D Deve Gowda on Monday joined the JD(S) padayatre opposing the acquisition of farmers' land for the Greater Bengaluru Integrated Township (GBIT) project near Bidadi. The three-day march, supported by the BJP and led by Gowda's grandson Nikhil Kumaraswamy, entered its second day. The 93-year-old Gowda accused Chief Minister D K Shivakumar of destroying farmers' livelihoods and demanded he 'speak the truth' about who benefits from the project.
The government has issued final notifications to acquire over 5,400 acres across seven villages for the project, which needs 9,600 acres in total. A high-level committee headed by retired judge Justice Guhanathan Narendar has been constituted to review feedback. Protesters raised slogans of 'Namma Bhoomi, Namma Hakku', and Gowda urged farmers not to surrender their land, announcing a large meeting at Freedom Park on August 19.
The Indian Opinion
The Bidadi protests show how land acquisition becomes a political battlefield. Both sides have valid points, but the debate is getting drowned in slogans and personal attacks. Gowda's charge that Shivakumar is lying to destroy farmers is as one-sided as Shivakumar's claim that he is only continuing a project Gowda's son started. The real questions are about compensation and need. The government says it will pay over Rs 3 crore per acre, but farmers want to know who eventually gets the land and at what price. The high-level committee must make its report public. Will the government commit to that? Otherwise, the only truth that will prevail is the one shouted loudest.
Sources (2): deccanherald.com, thefederal.com
This story was synthesised by AI from the 2 sources linked above.
Updated: this story now draws on 2 sources.
