Devanahalli farmers appeal to CM to stop land acquisition

WITH the farmers' protest in Devanahalli entering the seventh day, leaders from the National Alliance of People's Movement (NAPM) and several farmer groups have issued a fresh appeal to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, demanding immediate withdrawal of land acquisition proceedings for 1,777 acres of fertile, multi-crop farmland in Channarayapatna hobli.

- EXPRESS NEWS SERVICE @ Bengaluru

It is home to over 800 farmers — many from Dalit, Adivasi and other marginalized communities.

In a detailed open letter ahead of a key government meeting scheduled for July 4, the activists urged the state to uphold the rights and dignity of cultivators. The letter refers to a 2022 KIADB survey which shows that over 80 per cent of affected farmers oppose the land takeover, originally initiated under the previous BJP government for a proposed Hi-Tech Defence and Aerospace Park. Protesters say the move endangers both livelihoods and the region's food security.