Former Prime Minister and Janata Dal (Secular) president H.D. Deve Gowda on Tuesday urged Karnataka Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar to immediately scrap the proposed Bidadi township project, a day after farmers in Mandalahalli village clashed with revenue officials and police during a land survey.
Addressing a press conference at the JD(S) headquarters, JP Bhavan, in Bengaluru, Deve Gowda criticised the government for pushing ahead with the project despite stiff opposition from farmers.
Union Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy was on an official tour of West Bengal, while JD(S) youth leader Nikhil Kumaraswamy was in Hyderabad-Karnataka on party work. Both leaders have been leading the party’s campaign against the proposed township in the Vokkaliga belt. JD(S) supremo held the presser in the absence of his son and grandson.
Deve Gowda said the villages around Bidadi produce nearly 60,000 litres of milk every day and are prosperous because of agriculture, particularly arecanut and coconut cultivation. He said 2,555 small landholders depend on farming in the area and alleged that those willing to part with their land had left the villages long ago and were now living in Bengaluru.
He noted that the proposed project falls within the Chief Minister’s own constituency, where Devegowda had contested three Assembly elections, winning once and losing twice.
The former Prime Minister said he had written to the Chief Minister on June 25 but had not received any response even after 20 days.
“The Chief Minister could have at least acknowledged my letter. He is also the son of a farmer, and I believe he will listen to the concerns of farmers,” Deve Gowda said.
Recalling a similar proposal during H.D. Kumaraswamy’s tenure as Chief Minister, Deve Gowda said the Congress had strongly opposed the layout and even constituted fact-finding committees. “Kumaraswamy dropped the project because of the protests. Why does the Congress now want to develop a township at the very place it had once opposed?” he asked.
Questioning the need for the project, he said nearly 40,000 residential sites were lying vacant in and around Bengaluru. “Why then is there a need to acquire another 500 acres near Bidadi?” he asked.
Gowda also took a swipe at Shivakumar, questioning the urgency with which the government was pursuing the project. He said, “I know CM is doing this on priority on behalf of the Congress high command.”
“Siddaramaiah did not send officials to conduct surveys in Bidadi. But within a month of becoming Chief Minister, why is Shivakumar in such a hurry? I know why you have a special interest in this project. You have made certain promises to your high command, and whoever develops this layout stands to gain ₹8,000 crore,” he alleged.
Gowda blamed revenue officials for provoking Monday’s confrontation between farmers and officials and demanded that all cases registered against the protesting villagers be withdrawn. While welcoming the government’s decision to temporarily suspend the land survey, he reiterated that the township project itself should be dropped.
He also mocked the Chief Minister for invoking Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s name in the controversy and thanked the BJP in Karnataka for extending support to the JD(S) in opposing the project.
“If required, I will come in a wheelchair and stand with the farmers until this project is withdrawn,” he said.
Gowda also criticised the State government for neglecting farmers affected by the erratic monsoon. He said deficient rainfall had withered crops in some areas, while excessive rain had damaged crops in others, accusing the government of failing to address the problems faced by farmers.
