Union Minister and Karnataka Janata Dal (Secular) President H.D. Kumaraswamy on Friday, 12 June announced a legal challenge against the Karnataka Congress government after it issued the final notification for land acquisition under the Bidadi township project, overriding sustained protests by farmers. Kumaraswamy declared he would personally fight on behalf of cultivators facing displacement, calling the move 'anti-farmer' and unjustified.

The Bidadi Land Acquisition Row

The controversy centres on the Karnataka government's plan to acquire agricultural land in and around Bidadi, a town near Bengaluru, for a proposed township development. Farmers in the region have been protesting the acquisition for 470 days, according to Kumaraswamy, arguing that the land targeted is fertile agricultural land being handed over for what he described as a 'real estate venture.'

Despite this prolonged opposition, the Congress government led by Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar proceeded to issue the final acquisition notification on Friday, triggering the political escalation.

Kumaraswamy's Challenge to the Chief Minister

Kumaraswamy directly challenged Chief Minister Shivakumar to visit the affected villages alongside him and verify whether those losing their land are genuine farmers. 'Claiming that farmers are not farmers is the height of arrogance. It is a grave insult to the very people who feed the nation. If the Chief Minister wants to know whether they are genuine farmers, let him visit those villages. I will also go there. Let the people of those villages themselves decide whether those losing their land are farmers or not,' Kumaraswamy said.

He alleged that 80 to 90 per cent of farmers in the area opposed the project, and that only a 'handful of vested interests' backed the Bidadi township proposal. He further alleged that protesting farmers were being targeted through police action and 'hired goons,' while the Home Minister reportedly denied any FIRs had been registered against them.

Attack on Home Minister Priyank Kharge

Kumaraswamy also condemned Home Minister Priyank Kharge over a reported statement that 'we will implement the project at any cost and people may pursue legal remedies if they wish.' He said the remark alone exposed the government's contempt for farmers. 'This is unforgivable,' Kumaraswamy said, adding that elected representatives who owed their mandate to villagers in the area had also aligned with the acquisition exercise.

Kumaraswamy Cites His Own 2006 Precedent

Recalling his own tenure as Chief Minister, Kumaraswamy said he had planned five township projects in 2006, including one in Bidadi, but abandoned them all in the face of farmer opposition. 'I gave up the project in the public interest. Now, this government has revived it for its own interests. It is trying to use poor people's land for a real estate business,' he charged.

He argued that farmers' consent is mandatory for any government acquisition notification and that proceeding without it was legally and morally untenable. He also noted that barren land was available elsewhere in the region where a township could be developed without displacing cultivators.

Kumara Krupa Guest House Row

Separately, Kumaraswamy criticised Chief Minister Shivakumar over alleged alterations to the historic Kumara Krupa Guest House, a heritage structure in Bengaluru. 'If this government continues for another five years, one wonders what it might do even to the Vidhana Soudha built by Kengal Hanumanthaiah,' he said sarcastically. He called on 'enlightened citizens' to oppose any modifications to the landmark building.

With a legal challenge now formally declared, the Bidadi dispute is set to move from the streets to the courts, even as farmer protests continue on the ground.