Bengaluru, June 24: The ongoing controversy surrounding the proposed Bidadi Township project near Bengaluru has escalated. Union Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy raised concerns on Tuesday about Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar’s invitation for a discussion, questioning the relevance of the meeting without the presence of affected farmers and other stakeholders.
Chief Minister Shivakumar, however, refrained from commenting on Kumaraswamy’s demands, stating that he would address the matter later.
On Monday, Kumaraswamy publicly challenged Shivakumar to a debate regarding the Bidadi Township project. In response, Shivakumar invited Kumaraswamy to the Vidhana Soudha for discussions on June 26, requesting him to bring a five-member team.
Kumaraswamy countered by suggesting that the meeting should take place on June 27 in the project-affected area, including local stakeholders and impacted individuals.
Speaking to reporters in Bengaluru, Kumaraswamy noted that farmers have been protesting the project for nearly 450 days, leading to confusion regarding landowners’ consent.
He stated, “The government claims that 80 percent of farmers have agreed to the project, but 80 to 90 percent of farmers assert they have not given any consent. Many questions remain unanswered in this matter.”
Kumaraswamy emphasized that while the Chief Minister invited him for discussions with a team of five, he only has one team—the farmers.
He revealed that he has written to the Chief Minister requesting the inclusion of affected farmers and other stakeholders in the proposed discussion. “I have sent a letter to the Chief Minister. Now we will see how he responds,” he added.
When asked about his availability for the meeting on June 26, Kumaraswamy mentioned that he has prior engagements throughout the day. Therefore, he requested that the meeting be held on the morning of June 27 at a convenient time.
He reiterated his demand for a public discussion in the presence of affected individuals and stakeholders. “I have insisted on a public debate and representation of the affected people. Now it remains to be seen whether this demand is accepted,” he stated.
Questioning the state government’s intentions, Kumaraswamy accused them of merely extending an invitation for formality’s sake. “It seems the invitation was given just to show that a meeting was proposed. The real question is, what will be discussed if the affected people are not present? For me, this is not a matter of prestige. The government can include stakeholders at any time,” he remarked.
Kumaraswamy also questioned the necessity of holding the meeting at Vidhana Soudha, alleging that the Congress government is acting in its own interests rather than those of the public. “What is the need to hold a meeting at Vidhana Soudha? When we were in power, Congress leaders criticized our government on this very issue. Today, their attitude is different. This government is being run for its own interests, not the state’s,” he concluded.
Leave a Comment