‘GIM a ploy by govt to create illusion of jobs, opportunities ahead of elections’

Rachana Ramesh | NT

Bengaluru: Hundreds of farmers from across the state protested against the Global Investors’ Meet happening in Bengaluru, alleging that the government in the name of providing employment by attracting global investors, is selling away the state’s rich natural resources.

Organised by Samyukta Horata Karnataka, a coalition of farmer, labour and Dalit organisations, the protest condemned Industries Minister Murugesh Nirani for promising new industrial and logistics parks which will inevitably be built on agricultural land.

Karnataka Rajya Raitha Sangha (KRRS) President Badagalapura Nagendra said ahead of state elections, it’s a ploy by the government to create an illusion of jobs and opportunities for youths. Chamarasa Mali Patel, a farmer leader associated with the Karnataka Rajya Raitha Sangha, said that farmers have a symbiotic relationship with their lands.

“With the ever growing population, the responsibility to feed our people is on us while the government remains money-minded,” he stated. Providing the example of Raichur villagers who let go of their lands worth 2,104 acres in 1995 for a thermal plant project, he said that the land has not been fully utilised nor have the farmers been provided with jobs or land compensation.

He claimed that even when jobs are provided, they belong to the lowest of categories and farmers are forced to become sweepers and cleaners. “We are unable to give our land for mindful projects such as thebuilding of schools because we have already given enough, to the extent that the food grain security in the nation is under threat,” he said, adding that the state of agriculture has reached to a level where farmers are being forced to sell their land due to recurring losses.

Calling the investors “Bakasuras (monsters) for money”, convenor of Samyukta Horata, G C Bayareddy, said, “Rich people at palace grounds are currently devising their plans to snatch away fertile lands from our hands while we are asking the government to empower us.”

He pointed out that while corporate companies get lands with concessions, farmers have to own them on lease. Mentioning many other land acquisition incidents – for the international airport and other solar power projects, he said, “Under the mask of development, they are conducting real estate mafia. Our farmers have incurred immense losses due to rains in the past two years. The government must provide free land for the poor working class.”

Advocate Priya, who is representing the Devanahalli farmers’ objections, present at the protest to showcase her solidarity along with co-worker,er Amrutha, said that she has already filed vakalts and objections against the acquisition by the KIADB. “They had called us for a hearing but since the farmers were protesting on a particular day, they cancelled it,” Priya said.

“Under Section 28, subclause 3, they have to pass the orders. If they agree to not acquire the land, the case will be shut. Otherwise, the farmers will have to reach the doors of the higher courts,” she explained.

Priya went on to say that the KIADB has not made an official mention of how much compensation they are willing to provide, how they are going to reconcile the farmers’ livelihoods or when they are going to do it. “When it comes to law, the government is only a party. We will continue to fight,” she said.