The Karnataka government has registered First Information Reports (FIRs) against more than 20 farmers following a violent confrontation on Monday, 14 July that forced officials to abandon a land survey for the proposed Bidadi Township project on the outskirts of Bengaluru. The cases were lodged at Bidadi Police Station on a complaint filed by Revenue Department officials, who alleged that protesters attacked them and obstructed them from performing their duties.

What Happened at the Survey Site

Government teams conducting a Joint Measurement Survey (JMS) — a preliminary step in the land acquisition process — were confronted by farmers and women protesters who hurled stones and chased the survey party, compelling officials to abandon the exercise. Women protesters allegedly struck the officials' vehicles with brooms. Police personnel deployed at the site were unable to disperse the agitated crowd, and the survey was stalled.

Following the incident, Ramanagara Superintendent of Police Srinivas Gowda visited Mandalahalli and held discussions with the protesting farmers. He also reviewed the law-and-order situation alongside Additional Superintendent of Police Ramachandraiah, Deputy Superintendent of Police Girish, and other senior officials before remaining at the spot to monitor developments. The SP urged protesters not to obstruct public servants and warned against taking the law into their own hands.

Government's Next Steps

The district administration has suspended survey work and is considering holding talks with farmers before resuming the exercise. Officials are simultaneously preparing a comprehensive plan to restart the survey under adequate police protection. Farmers, meanwhile, have maintained a vigil across the area to prevent any further survey activity for the township project.

Nearly 500 Days of Resistance

The opposition to the Bidadi Township project is not new. Farmers in the region have been protesting the proposed acquisition of agricultural land for close to 500 days, alleging that the project would deprive them of their livelihoods. While the government maintains that the Joint Measurement Survey is only a preliminary exercise and not a final acquisition step, protesters continue to demand that the township project be scrapped altogether. The fertile agricultural character of the land in question has been at the centre of their objections.

Kumaraswamy Backs Farmers, Warns Police

Union Minister for Heavy Industries and Steel H.D. Kumaraswamy reacted sharply to the developments, accusing the Karnataka government of deploying police to suppress the farmers' agitation. He alleged that an 'invisible hand' of the state government was behind the sudden attempt to conduct the survey despite sustained opposition from local residents.

Kumaraswamy appealed to farmers, women, and mothers to continue their agitation peacefully and avoid violence, assuring them of legal assistance. He also cautioned police officers against yielding to political pressure, alleging that the government was misusing police machinery to intimidate protesting farmers.

With tensions in the Bidadi region remaining elevated and both sides entrenched in their positions, the outcome of any proposed talks between the district administration and farmers is expected to determine whether the survey — and the township project itself — can move forward.