5 days ago
- Politics
- New Indian Express
CM Siddaramaiah meets Devanahalli farmers, seeks 10 days to resolve issue
The Channarayapatna-Devanahalli Land Acquisition Resistance Struggle Committee, backed by Samyukta Horata Karnataka and a coalition of other groups, has been resisting the government's move to acquire 1,777 acres of land across 13 villages of Channarayapatna hobli. The protest hit headlines after police action against the 'Devanahalli Chalo' rally on June 25, which led to the protest at Freedom Park since June 27.
The land acquisition process began about three years ago when the BJP government was in power. Then, the Congress had supported the farmers' protest but did nothing after coming to power two years ago.
Farmer leaders have made it clear that they will not back down. 'No matter how many days pass, we will not give up our land to any corporate power,' asserted a farmer leader outside Vidhana Soudha. They have warned the government that if it fails to act by July 15, the protest will turn into a statewide agitation, with Samyukta Kisan Morcha and other national farmer associations joining in. Farmers and activists will tour the 13 affected villages, holding mass meetings and putting up signboards declaring their opposition to acquisition of their land.
In a move to take the battle beyond agriculture, all supporting organizations will integrate the Devanahalli farmers' struggle into the July 9 nationwide workers' general strike, to galvanize public support.
