Ramanagara farmers take out march to oppose Bidadi township project, BJP lends support

RAMANAGARA: Farmers from nine villages in Bidadi hobli on Friday took out a march from Basavapura village to the deputy commissioner’s office in Ramanagara opposing land acquisition for the proposed Bidadi township. The protesters were led by former MLA A Manjunath and Opposition leader R Ashoka also took part.

Hundreds of farmers took part in the protest march demanding the government to drop the project. Bangalore Rural MP Dr C N Manjunath, former MLC Ashwathnarayan Gowda and other also took part. Dr Manjunath said, “I and JD(S) patriarch H D Deve Gowda have written letters to the CM opposing the project for which 9,600 acres is proposed to be acquired. Ramanagara, which topped in silk cocoon cultivation, is now at second place. Farmers are the backbone of the nation and when they are opposing it, why go ahead with the project?”

Further, he said, “In Bengaluru, sites, apartments and industrial parks are still vacant. The industrial parks in Bidadi and Harohalli are also vacant. The township project should be dropped as it won’t benefit anyone”.

To a question on Deputy CM D K Shivakumar’s claim that the project was proposed when H D Kumaraswamy was chief minister, Dr Manjunath said it was dropped after farmers opposed it. “If farmrs give up their land now, their coming generations will have to work as security guards. First, let them fill the vacant sites in Bengaluru”, he added.

Opposition leader R Ashoka too said the township project was dropped in 2006 by Kumaraswamy after protests. “Why is the Congress government pursuing it now? Only those with a heart know what people’s pain is. The Congress government is a real estate government and is just an ATM for their Delhi bosses. There is about 3,000 acres of land in Bidadi and this is an effort to grab the land as it will yield Rs 1,000 crore.

While promising support for the farmers, he called upon them to take out a march up to Vidhana Soudha and stage a protest in Bengaluru to oppose the township project.