'Not Even One Gunta Will Be Taken by Force': Karnataka CM D K Shivakumar Defends Bidadi Township, Targets HD Kumaraswamy
Karnataka Chief Minister D K Shivakumar has assured farmers that no land will be acquired against their will for the proposed Bidadi Township project, while launching a sharp political attack on JD(S) leaders H D Deve Gowda and H D Kumaraswamy over their criticism of the plan.
Responding to allegations surrounding the township proposal, Shivakumar said farmers who wish to retain their land are free to continue cultivation, while those interested in participating in the project can voluntarily hand over their land in exchange for compensation.
"Not even a single gunta of land will be acquired by force," the Chief Minister said, adding that the government would fully respect the choices of landowners.
Shivakumar also rejected demands to scrap or denotify the project, saying such a move could create legal complications. He announced that the Karnataka Cabinet would decide on forming a committee to examine the land acquisition process and other legal issues related to the township. The committee is expected to submit its report within two months.
Taking aim at Union Minister H D Kumaraswamy, Shivakumar claimed the Bidadi Township proposal was not initiated by the present Congress government but during Kumaraswamy's tenure as Chief Minister. Citing official records, he said the project was approved in 2006, when the BJP-JD(S) coalition government planned integrated townships around Bengaluru under the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model.
He further alleged that subsequent governments, including the BJP administration led by B S Yediyurappa, continued to pursue the same proposal by inviting global tenders and expanding the project area.
Shivakumar maintained that the current government is only carrying forward a project inherited from previous administrations and has no intention of forcibly displacing farmers. He reiterated that those unwilling to surrender their land can continue farming without any pressure, while compensation would be offered only to those who voluntarily participate in the project.
