Deve Gowda to lead farmers' dharna in Delhi

Former prime minister HD Devegowda today said he would take along 1,500 farmers affected by Nandi Infrastructure Corridor Enterprise (NICE) Bangalore-Mysore expressway project to stage a two-day dharna in New Delhi to protest against encroachment of their lands.

"Along with 1,500 farmers who have lost lands for the project, I will stage a dharna in Delhi on March 10 and 11 to highlight irregularities in acquisition of land for the Bangalore-Mysore Express Highway", Gowda told reporters here.

Gowda, who has been leading the stir against land acquisition in various villages for about a month, said memorandum on the affairs of NICE would be submitted to prime minister Manmohan Singh, leader of BJP opposition in Lok Sabha Sushma Swaraj and leaders of all political parties.

"The BJP government in Karnataka is engaged in real estate scam by acquiring land from farmers," Gowda, who has been up in arms against the state acquiring 1.71 lakh acres for formation of "land bank", alleged.

Opposition Congress which is also objecting to acquisition of land by Bangalore Development Authority (BDA) for a residential layout, also continuing with its agitation.

KPCC president RV Deshpande, general secretary ST Somasekhar and others visited Gollarahatti, one of the
villages proposed for acquisition of lands.

The leaders demanded resignation of chief minister BS Yeddyurappa.