Protest in Ballari condemning arrest of farmers opposing land acquisition in Devanahalli

Activists of Samyukta Horata Karnataka staged a protest in front of the Deputy Commissioner’s office in Ballari on Thursday condemning the arrest of farmer leaders involved in the ongoing agitation against the forcible land acquisition in Devanahalli.

A formal appeal addressed to the Chief Minister was also submitted to the Deputy Commissioner’s office calling for the immediate release of the detained leaders and a halt to the land acquisition process.

Addressing a gathering, leaders of Samyukta Horata Karnataka denounced the police action against farmers and activists who were peacefully protesting under their leadership in Devanahalli.

The Ballari district committee of the organisation strongly criticised what it described as police brutality against those resisting the government’s coercive takeover of fertile agricultural land.

They said that farmers from 13 villages have been, for over 1,180 days, opposing the government’s attempt to acquire 1,770 acres of their productive farmland for industrial development.

The protesting farmers argued that their land supports robust dairy farming and cultivation of fruits and vegetables and that the acquisition threatened their livelihood and food security.

They said that the land was under the shadow of “land mafia”, enabled by State policies.

“Despite holding three rounds of talks with farmers, the government recently announced its decision to proceed with acquisition. This is an anti-farmer move. We now feel that the government is actually serving land mafia at the cost of farmers,” an agitating farmer said.

The protestors also pointed out the apparent political hypocrisy of the ruling Congress, which had earlier opposed a land reform policy introduced by the BJP-led Central government.

“Now, the same Congress has adopted that policy after assuming power, betraying the trust of farmers. The law in force prevents acquisition of agricultural lands without the consent of farmers. Yet, the State is using both force and legal manipulation to acquire land. This a grave betrayal of Karnataka’s farming community,” district secretary of Communist Party of India (Marxist) Satyababu said.

The protestors declared that they will not stop their agitation until land is returned to farmers.

“This acquisition decision, which is set to push farmers onto the streets, must be revoked,” said district president of All India Kisan Khet Majdoor Sangathan Govind, calling for unconditional release of all arrested farmer leaders and demanding that the acquisition process be abandoned.

Many leaders from different organizations, including Karnataka Rajya Raitha Sangha (HAS) district president Sanganakallu Krishnappa, district secretary Lepakshi, Jagrutha Mahila Sanghatane leader Chandrakumari, All India Kisan Khet Majdoor Sangathan district secretary Guralli Raj, Dalit Sangharsh Samithi (Ambedkarite) State organiser H. Huseinappa, Democratic Youth Federation of India district leader Erriswamy and Bahujan Samaj Party State secretary Shakuntala Devi, participated in the protest.