Bengaluru, 10 August

Former prime minister HD Deve Gowda on Monday joined the JD(S)’ padayatra opposing the acquisition of agricultural land for the proposed Greater Bengaluru Integrated Township (GBIT) project near Bidadi, warning that he and his party would not back down if farmers’ livelihoods were threatened.

The 93-year-old JD(S) patriarch joined the second day of the three-day march at BGS Circle in Bidadi. Led by party youth wing president Nikhil Kumaraswamy and backed by alliance partner BJP, the march began at Byramangala on Sunday and is expected to cover about 38 km before reaching Freedom Park.

Protesters raised slogans including “Namma Bhoomi, Namma Hakku” (Our land, our right), accusing the government of favouring real estate interests and filing false cases against farmers.

Gowda criticised Chief Minister DK Shivakumar for defending the project as an initiative started by HD Kumaraswamy when he was chief minister in 2006. He asked why the government wanted to acquire farmland when thousands of BDA sites in Bengaluru remain vacant.

Gowda also questioned the proposed compensation of Rs 3 crore per acre, announced by Shivakumar after protests intensified, asking why farmers’ livelihoods should be destroyed.

He rejected allegations that his Opposition was driven by political rivalry, saying JD(S) would support any chief minister who worked for the people. “My body may be old, but not my intellect,” Gowda said.

He urged farmers not to give up their land and invited people to a larger meeting at Freedom Park on 19 August.

The government has issued final notifications to acquire more than 5,400 acres across seven villages. The proposed township is projected as India’s first AI-powered integrated township and is expected to require 9,600 acres across 25 villages. A preliminary notification issued last year covered 7,481 acres across nine villages.