BENGALURU: Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Thursday announced that he will hold a comprehensive meeting with the protesting farmers and leaders of Samyukta Horata Vedike on July 4 at 11 am, to address their demands and concerns over the proposed land acquisition by the Karnataka Industrial Areas Development Board (KIADB).
Facing growing resistance from farmers, the state government has partially rolled back the plan, exempting 495 acres identified for acquisition in three villages of Channarayapatna hobli in Devanahalli taluk to establish the Defence and Aerospace Park.
Earlier in the day, hundreds of farmers, Dalit groups, and activists from across Karnataka marched to the Chief Minister’s official residence ‘Kaveri’, demanding an immediate halt to the acquisition of fertile agricultural land. Meeting a delegation of leaders, the CM assured that he would hold a meeting with them to resolve the issue on July 4.
The protest follows the ‘Devanahalli Chalo’ rally held on Wednesday, where farmers and activists opposed the government’s plan. The demonstration, which began with a peaceful pledge by residents of 13 villages, escalated by evening as police detained protesters and released them later.
The farmers, who have been resisting displacement for over 1,100 days, took a collective vow in front of civil society, declaring, “Even if we lose our lives, we will never sell this soil. No matter how much you trouble us, we will never allow this green land to be destroyed.”