Farmers protesting Bidadi township project detained after road blockade

High drama unfolded near Bairamangala Circle in Bengaluru South district on Friday as farmers protesting against the Greater Bengaluru Integrated Township, also known as the Bidadi township project, blocked the Bidadi-Harohalli Road, prompting police intervention.

Over 50 people, including several women farmers, were detained, while the police have yet to decide on filing a case, a senior police officer told The Hindu.

On Friday, over 100 people gathered at Bairamangala Circle, where the farmers were on a hunger strike and had blocked the main road, cutting off connectivity between Bidadi and Harohalli.

The farmers parked tractors and bullock carts in the middle of the road, while tying cows along the sides to block the road completely. Along with this, they also set up a Ganesha pandal in the middle of the road. In the afternoon, the Bidadi police visited the circle and requested the farmers to vacate the place, but to no avail.

According to the farmers, the protest was against the government-set-up committee’s “sluggish work” in re-examining the project and the mandates it had set for farmers to participate in expressing their views.

Police action

Soon, the police deployed more officers, including women staff, and brought in a police bus. However, several people lay down on the road and refused to move.

A senior police officer said that tensions escalated as farmers who were ready to part with their lands also visited the location and began arguing with the farmers protesting at the site.

“So, we had to intervene. Moreover, the whole stretch was blocked. We have detained members of both groups. We are yet to decide on filing an FIR,” the officer said. The farmers accused the police of trying to “silence” them.

Public notice

The committee — led by Guhanathan Narendar, a former judge of the High Court of Karnataka and former Chief Justice of the Uttarakhand High Court — set up by the Karnataka government to re-examine the Bidadi township project announced that it would hear the farmers’ objections on September 30 and October 1.

However, the committee has made it mandatory for farmers to register at the deputy tahsildar’s office by submitting RTC and Aadhaar cards before meeting the committee.

Yashavantha T., State general secretary, Karnataka Prantha Raitha Sangha, said that many farmers would not have RTCs for various reasons and making it mandatory would mean they would miss out on expressing their views.

Devanahalli, Doddaballapur farmers oppose KIADB land acquisition proposal

Farmers from Devanahalli and Doddaballapur on Friday submitted a memorandum to the Deputy Commissioner, Bengaluru Rural, opposing land acquisition for General Industrial Area Phase-3, reportedly proposed by the Karnataka Industrial Areas Development Board (KIADB).

Nagaraj Govindappa, a resident of Koira village near Devanahalli, claimed that the KIADB had proposed acquiring about 1,200 acres spread across five villages. “These fall under the Arkavati basin and cannot be acquired. The Deputy Commissioner has said that the matter will be looked into,” he told The Hindu.