FARMERS OPPOSE ACQUISITION

Bengaluru: Samyukta Horata Karnataka (United Struggle Karnataka) has announced a "Devanahalli Chalo" protest on June 25, demanding the cancellation of the final notification issued by the Karnataka Industrial Areas Development Board (KIADB) regarding land acquisition in the Channarayapatna hobli of Devanahalli taluk, Bengaluru Rural district.

Speaking at a press conference on Monday, Badagalapura Nagendra, convener of Samyukta Horata Karnataka; T. Yashwant, General Secretary of Karnataka Prantha Raitha Sangha; and Mavalli Shankar, State Convener of Dalit Sangharsh Samiti (Ambedkar Vada), stated that an indefinite protest will be held in front of the Devanahalli Taluk office, urging for the complete revocation of this notification. They informed that farmer, labor, Dalit, women's, and student organizations will participate in this struggle. "For governments, this land is merely a commodity for sale. But for the farmers here, it is their livelihood. Under no circumstances will we surrender our land," they asserted.

They further alleged that farmers from 13 villages have been protesting for 1,180 days, demanding the abandonment of the land acquisition process in Channarayapatna hobli. They claimed that 80% of the farmers have expressed their dissent in writing. Despite this, KIADB is forcefully acquiring land, which they stated is a clear violation of the Land Acquisition Act-2013.