Intro
The march started at Revenue House, proceeded to the District Collector’s office, demanding the project be dropped and officials act farmer-friendly
RAMANAGARA
Farmers, pro-Kannada groups, and pro-Dalit organizations held a protest in Ramanagara on Wednesday opposing the proposed Bidadi Smart City and GBIT projects and criticizing the District Collector’s attitude.
The march began at the Revenue House and moved to the District Collector’s office, where protesters demanded that the project be dropped and that officials work in a farmer-friendly and people-friendly manner.
They shouted slogans against large scale land acquisition, saying fertile land in Bidadi Hobli, Bhairamangala, and Kanchagaranahalli is being taken in the name of development.
Speakers alleged that thousands of acres are being targeted in other areas too, including Sarjapur in Anekal taluk, which they said will badly affect farmers’ livelihoods.
Protesters also raised issues like rising human wildlife conflict, delayed compensation, pending pump set power connections, stray dog problems, and delay in regularizing long cultivated lands.
They accused departments of ignoring farmers’ struggles and said price rise and policy decisions have made rural life more difficult in recent years.
Some leaders claimed that farmers who have tilled land for generations now face trouble in producing records, and fear losing their land without proper consultation.
They criticized the district administration, alleging it was acting under political pressure and not listening to the voices of affected villagers.
Leaders from several farmer and social groups joined the protest and warned that the agitation would continue if land acquisition plans are not reviewed.
They urged the government to hold open meetings, share clear details, and protect agricultural land, water sources, and village livelihoods before moving ahead with any large project in the region. Police were present and the protest ended peacefully in town.