Karnataka Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar and Union Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy clashed sharply on Saturday, 20 June over the proposed Bidadi Township project, trading accusations over the project's origins, land acquisition, and the adequacy of compensation being offered to farmers in the region near Bengaluru. The confrontation underscores the deepening political fault lines over industrial land acquisition in Karnataka.

Shivakumar's Stand: Project Predates Congress Rule

Addressing reporters after a Cabinet meeting at Vidhana Soudha, Chief Minister Shivakumar insisted that the Bidadi Township project was not a Congress initiative, calling Kumaraswamy its original 'architect.' He said the project was first notified during Kumaraswamy's own tenure as Chief Minister and subsequently continued under former Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa.

'Kumaraswamy issued the notification for the project. Yediyurappa continued it. We are only taking the project further; we have not initiated anything new,' Shivakumar said. He also questioned why Kumaraswamy had declared the Bidadi region a 'red zone' and issued the original notification if he now opposed the project, and asked why Yediyurappa had not de-notified the land during his tenure.

Shivakumar added that the current government had improved compensation terms — raising the share of developed land offered to farmers from 40 per cent under the earlier proposal to 50 per cent — and that cash disbursements at ₹2.5 crore per acre had commenced on Friday. He claimed nearly 80 per cent of farmers had voluntarily agreed to part with their land.

Farmers Being Misled, Says CM

The Chief Minister accused the Opposition of politicising the issue while simultaneously demanding industrial investment in the state. 'The farmers of Bidadi are good people, but they are being misled,' Shivakumar said, adding that he was not prepared to de-notify the land and face legal consequences.

Responding to Kumaraswamy's recent warning that the issue could trigger a 'blood revolution,' the Chief Minister challenged the Union Minister to specify where land could be acquired for new industries without displacing agricultural holdings.

Kumaraswamy Defends His Position

Kumaraswamy, who holds the Heavy Industries portfolio at the Centre, defended his opposition to the current proposal, arguing that fertile agricultural land should not be acquired. He recalled that during his tenure as Chief Minister, the Bidadi Township issue had been debated in the Karnataka Legislative Assembly and that his recorded position was against acquiring even 'an inch of fertile agricultural land.'

He noted that the Bidadi project was part of a larger plan to develop five townships across Karnataka, and said the Congress had formed a fact-finding committee to examine it at the time. He announced plans to hold a detailed press conference to present documents supporting his position.

Compensation Value Under Scrutiny

Kumaraswamy questioned the long-term adequacy of the compensation being offered, arguing that cash payouts could not match the appreciation in agricultural land value over time. He cited the example of a ₹2.30 crore compensation cheque, saying that if placed in a fixed deposit for 20 years, the interest earned may not exceed around ₹40 lakh, whereas the same land could appreciate to nearly ₹20 crore over the same period.

He also questioned the manner in which compensation was being distributed, saying such responsibilities should rest with designated land acquisition officers and district authorities rather than elected representatives.

What Comes Next

Kumaraswamy indicated he would present documentary evidence at an upcoming press conference to clarify his historical position on the project. The Karnataka government, meanwhile, has stated it will proceed with acquisition in accordance with the law. With both sides entrenched, the Bidadi dispute is set to remain a flashpoint between the ruling Congress and the Opposition ahead of future electoral contests in the state.