Bengaluru, 14 June

Karnataka BJP president BY Vijayendra on Sunday wrote to Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, urging him to intervene in the proposed acquisition of farmland for the Greater Bengaluru Integrated Township (GBIT) project in Bidadi.

The township is planned on the city outskirts in the Bengaluru South district.

The Shikaripura MLA accused the Congress government in the state of "disregarding the concerns of thousands of farmers".

In the letter, Vijayendra said he was writing because the state government had "failed" to address the grievances of farming families facing the loss of their agricultural land for the township project spread across nearly 7,481 acres between Bidadi and Harohalli in Bengaluru South district.

Describing the project as a "state-engineered land grab", Vijayendra said the issue warranted Rahul Gandhi's attention, given his public advocacy of farmers' land rights.

The BJP leader said the Congress government was proceeding with the acquisition despite prolonged opposition from locals and questioned the rationale behind selecting fertile agricultural land for the project.

Referring to the agitation against the township, he asked, "Does 470 days of struggle mean nothing to your party?"

Vijayendra said residents of 25 villages in and around Bidadi had been protesting for more than 470 days and that over 3,500 small and marginal farmers had submitted objections to the acquisition process.

Alleging that the government had ignored their concerns, he wrote, "The consent of these farmers was set aside entirely, and the final notification was pushed through regardless of their objections."

The BJP leader also raised concerns over the impact of the project on agriculture and the local environment, claiming that the land earmarked for acquisition was among the most fertile in the region and supported the cultivation of crops such as coconut, arecanut and banana.

Questioning the justification for the project, he asked, "How can the destruction of this fertile belt, to make way for a 'Work-Live-Play' concrete township, ever be called progress?"

Vijayendra further alleged that the acquisition would adversely affect rural women dependent on farm-based livelihoods and argued that land was being acquired at low guidance values while real-estate developers would be the primary beneficiaries.

He urged Gandhi to publicly state his position on the issue and direct Chief Minister Siddaramaiah to halt the acquisition process until farmers' objections were examined and a "fair, transparent process" was put in place.