BENGALURU: Union Minister for Steel and Heavy Industries HD Kumaraswamy launched an attack on Chief Minister DK Shivakumar over the contentious Bidadi Township project, urging him to revisit his own 2007 Assembly statements and challenging him to visit the ongoing farmers’ protest site at Byramangala.
Kumaraswamy accused the Congress leadership of hypocrisy, noting that leaders who had vehemently opposed the project nearly two decades ago, including Shivakumar, former CM Siddaramaiah, and AICC President Mallikarjun Kharge, are now supporting it to allegedly benefit real estate interests.
“Come to the protest site at Byramangala. You will then know whether those sitting there are real farmers or fake farmers. I am ready to come. Are you prepared to come to Byramangala?” Kumaraswamy challenged Shivakumar, who recently claimed that the agitators protesting for over 500 days are not genuine farmers.
The JDS leader recalled that it was his government that originally conceptualised five satellite townships, including Bidadi, to reduce pressure on Bengaluru. A decision on the project was taken on September 23, 2009, following a notification issued on October 18, 2006. He, however, said he abandoned the project when farmers opposed it, as 80-90% of them remain against the scheme even today.”
I do not deny that I was the architect of Bidadi Township. But I never conceived the project to dispossess farmers of their lands and hand them over to real estate interests,” Kumaraswamy asserted. He criticised the current government for ignoring over 4,000 objections filed by farmers since the preliminary notification.
Kumaraswamy highlighted the Congress’ earlier opposition, pointing out that the party had constituted a fact-finding committee under senior leader HK Patil. He quoted Shivakumar’s speech in the Assembly on August 1, 2007, under Rule 69, where the then opposition leader had spoken passionately about the party’s credibility and farmers’ concerns.
On the Red Zone controversy, Kumaraswamy clarified that his government’s 2006 CDP Plan was intended to protect farmers’ lands, allowing them to develop houses, temples, schools, and hospitals. He dismissed fears over de-notification, stating that withdrawing a project to safeguard farmers should not invite legal trouble.
Kumaraswamy further alleged that township-related work is not being conducted transparently at the Ramanagara Deputy Commissioner’s office but from a rented house in Nagarbhavi, hinting at the involvement of middlemen. “I am not someone who sits inside air-conditioned rooms and debates. I am prepared to stand on the streets and discuss these issues openly,” he said.
In response, Chief Minister DK Shivakumar invited Kumaraswamy to his office in Vidhana Soudha to discuss the Bidadi issue. In a formal letter, the CM said, “We could discuss it on June 26. Please bring five representatives to speak about this issue and we could discuss it.”
However, Kumaraswamy, thanking Shivakumar for the invitation, suggested rescheduling it to June 27 at a suitable public venue in Bidadi or Bhairamangala in Ramanagara district.
Kumaraswamy highlighted the widespread concerns among residents of eight villages in Bidadi hobli and one village in Harohalli taluk.
He said a meeting held at Vidhana Soudha without the participation of affected locals would not be fruitful.