Ahead of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s crucial meeting on Friday with farmers of Devanahalli taluk, who are demanding shelving of acquisition of their lands for Aerospace Park, social activist Medha Patkar has written a letter appealing to his “conscience” to take cognisance of people’s views and “perspective of development” and repeal the project.

Also, national leaders of Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM), including Rakesh Tikait, who arrived in Karnataka to meet the protesting farmers, not only appealed to the Chief Minister to consider the farmers’ demand, but also warned of an intensified agitation if land acquisition is not shelved. They are also set to address a State-level convention titled ‘Save Our Lands’ in Bengaluru on Friday in support of farmers.

Protracted fight

Farmers of Channarayapatna hobli of Devanahalli taluk have been protesting for 1,186 days demanding that the notification on acquisition of 1,777 acres of land in 13 villages of the taluk be shelved. As their protest became broad-based with various progressive organisations lending their support, the chief minister has convened a meeting with their representatives in Bengaluru on Friday to discuss their demand.

As the countdown began for the much expected meeting with the Chief Minister, Ms. Medha Patkar, in her letter, said, “I appeal to your conscience, and Cabinet ministers, including Industries Minister M.B. Patil, to take cognisance of people’s views and perspective of development and repeal the proposed project and save their livelihood which is a part of Right to Life under Article 21 of the Constitution.”

During UPA regime

She further said, “You know that it was the erstwhile UPA government’s regime, during which the LARR Act, 2013, was passed, and that provided big relief to the project-affected people since they were given space and participatory rights in the decision-making process. Yet in many of the States after 2013, different Acts/policies were passed using the right of the State, since land acquisition is in the concurrent list.”

She hoped that the government under Mr. Siddaramaiah’s helm would not bypass these participatory and democratic processes in decision making. “We also expect that you would stand with the farmers, small traders and all those whose livelihood depends on the land which is proposed to be acquired for the industrial estate,” she said.

“We would like industries to be as decentralised, giving priority to these small industries, cottage industries, village industries that would generate employment rather than the mega-industries. Also, the land to be used for non-agricultural purposes should be mostly the government land and waste land and not the prime agriculture land,” Ms. Patkar said.

Earlier, addressing a press conference in Bengaluru, SKM national leaders hoped that the Chief Minister would respond positively to the farmers’ demands. They said the Chief Minister should send a message to BJP-ruled States that he is in favour farmers by shelving the project.

Pre-poll promise

Pointing out that he had assured farmers before the polls of dropping this project if voted to power, they argued that shelving the project should have been the first decision he should have made.

Meanwhile, the National Alliance of Agrarian Communities and the National Alliance of People’s Movements too sent a letter to the Chief Minister, urging him to stand by the toiling farmers.

In another development, Mr. Siddaramaiah, Mr. Patil, and other officials and Ministers held a marathon meeting on Thursday to discuss the issue.