Farmers on warpath, CM seeks 10 days to explore legal options

NT Correspondent

'Our land, our right – we will not give it up to any company'

Bengaluru: After 1,188 days of sustained resistance against the land ac- quisition of 13 villages in Channarayapatna Hobli, farmers and activists have issued a stern warning to the Karnataka government: Cancel the acquisition or face a renewed, intensified state-wide struggle.

The movement, which gained fresh momentum after police crackdowns during the June 25 ‘Devanahalli Chalo’ protest, has drawn the backing of a broad coalition of propeople, Dalit, farmer, student, and women’s groups under the banner of Samyukta Horata-Karnataka.

Since June 27, protestors have been staging a continuous dharna at Freedom Park in Bengaluru, demanding the government withdraw the controversial land acquisition. In response to the pressure, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah convened a meeting on July 4 with representatives of the Channarayapatna Land Acqui- sition Resistance Struggle Committee, Samyukta Horata-Karnataka, and other like-minded organizations.

During the meeting, the Chief Minister acknowledged the legal complexities in revoking the final notification already issued for the acquisition and requested ten days to explore legal options and solutions. While the struggle committee accepted this request for time in good faith, they emphasized that the farmers’ decision to not part with their land is final and non-negotiable. The next meeting has been scheduled for July 15.

Farmer leaders and activists made it clear that if the government fails to announce a pro- farmer decision at that meeting, the agitation will escalate further. The movement, which has already spread from villages to Channarayapatna Hobli, Devanahalli, and Bengaluru drawing national attention is poised to gain support from the Samyukta Kisan Morcha if demands are not met.

In the lead-up to the next meeting, activists plan to visit all thirteen villages involved in the protest, hold farmer meetings, and install signboards declaring, “Our land, our right – we will not give it up to any company.”

Additionally, the July 9 nation- wide workers' strike will include the Devanahalli land issue as a key demand in Karnataka, with all participating organizations pledging to make the strike a success. The resistance, say activists, will continue until justice is done.