Devanahalli farmers’ protest completes 1,000 days on December 28

Farmers in Devanahalli taluk protest land acquisition for industrial project, reaching 1,000 days of dharna on December 28.

The indefinite dharna by a group of farmers from Devanahalli taluk, who oppose land acquisition, will complete 1,000 days on December 28. The farmers have been sitting on dharna at Channarayapatna in the taluk, demanding the withdrawal of the land acquisition process for an industrial project. The farmers are planning a rally on December 30.

The farmers decided to sit on dharna on April 4, 2022, after the Karnataka Industrial Area Development Board (KIADB) started issuing notices to the farmers for acquiring 1,777 acres of land. The KIDAB issued preliminary notification for acquisition on August 30, 2021. The final notification is yet to be issued. The KIADB wants this land to develop the Haralur Industrial Area Development Project (Phase I). The farmers have banded together under the banner of Bhoo Swadhina Horata Samiti.

Ever since the start of the dharna, several politicians — including former Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy and Chief Minister Siddaramaiah — have visited the farmers, but the demand has not been met. While Mr. Siddaramaiah first met the farmers in 2022 when he was in Opposition, his latest meeting with them was on December 23.

Ramesh Cheemachanahalli, a farmer, said the villages where land has been notified for acquisition are Palya, Haraluru, Polanahalli, Gokare Bacchenahalli, Nallur, Mallepura, Nallappanahalli, Cheemachanahalli, Mattabaralu, Muddenahalli, Channarayapatna S. Tellohalli and Hyadala. The protesting farmers say about 700 farmers’ families will be affected by this project and agriculture has created employment for about 6,000 labourers in the area too. Up to 475 acres here are owned by farmers belonging to Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes.

Mr. Cheemachanagalli said that when the protest commenced, Mr. Kumaraswamy had visited them. Later, Minister K.H. Muniyaappa visited them during the 2023 Assembly elections to seek votes and promised to withdraw notices. But nothing happened. In October 2024, after the farmers’ protest intensified, Mr. Siddaramaiah held a meeting and promised to look into their demand after Dasara. This promise also fell flat. On December 23, in another meeting, Mr. Siddaramaiah said he would hold deliberations with the legal team about what could be done. 

The protest first became prominent when they decided to boycott the Lok Sabha elections on April 26, 2024. However, they decided to withdraw the boycott after they were convinced that their demand would be considered.