Thanks to Karnataka CM’s inaction, there’s a village fair at BDA
Agitators will bring along a fox along with the livestock to protest against CM’s false promises, says farmer.
The Bangalore Development Authority (BDA) premises on Bellary Road resembled a village fair on Friday, thanks to chief minister DV Sadananda Gowda, who could not find time to meet the protesting farmers who have lost their land for laying the Outer Peripheral Ring Road connecting Tumkur Road and Hosur Road. On Friday, farmers re-launched their protest by occupying the BDA premises.
Kodihalli Chandrashekar, who is spearheading the protest, told DNA: “Since chief minister DV Sadananda Gowda is very busy and has forgotten his promise to talk to farmers about fixing the price for the acquired land, we have restarted the protest. It will continue until he meets us.”
Meanwhile, angry farmers have constructed tents and are cooking on the BDA premises. They ate ‘bisibelebath’ for lunch. “Along with livestock, we will bring a fox this time to protest against the false promises given by chief minister DV Sadananda Gowda,” he added.
‘Pay us market rate’
Agitators have demanded fixing a new price — `1 crore per acre — for the acquired land and compensation of `7,000 per month to foot expenditure of agriculturists who lost their land. The agitation is organised by the Karnataka State Farmers’ Association, Hasirusene and Outer Peripheral Road Struggle Committee. Over 2,000 acres havebeen acquired for the Outer Peripheral Road, which connects Tumkur Road and Hosur Road. The price was fixed between `5 lakh to `12 lakh per acre. But the existing land rate is more than `2 crore per acre. The farmers have demanded that they should be given at least `1 crore per acre, at least. They have demanded that the project be stopped if the government can’t pay them.