Deve Gowda warns of ‘jail bharo’

The former Prime Minister and Janata Dal (Secular) president, H.D. Deve Gowda, has threatened to launch a ‘fill the jail’ programme, unless justice is done to poor farmers whose land has been “unnecessarily notified for takeover” for the Bangalore-Mysore Infrastructure Corridor Project.


Talking to journalists from New Delhi here on Sunday, Mr. Gowda said he was not against development or the Bangalore-Mysore Expressway. “But what is the need for acquiring land at places, as far away as 1.5 km from the peripheral road, affecting the poor?”

“Let me see how they demolish the structures that are far away from the revised BMIC alignment. I will stand before the JCB machine and stop it from demolishing the building.” Mr. Gowda, who visited Konappana Agrahara, Doddathoguru, Chikkathoguru, Beguru, Yelenahalli, Gottigere, Pillaganahalli, Kembathanahalli and Pramod Layout (all in Bangalore rural) to interact with the residents, said more than one lakh people were affected by the government decision to transfer thousands of acres of government/agricultural land and private layouts in the name of the Nandi Infrastructure Corridor Enterprises (NICEL) Limited, which is owned by NRI Ashok Kheny.

Venkatesh of Pramod Layout, which has been approved by the Bangalore Development Authority, said the affected residents were facing threats to vacate. While the market value of the land was up to Rs.10 crore an acre, the residents were being coerced to accept a pittance of Rs. 80,000 an acre, he alleged. Umesh of Kengeri, who was allegedly stabbed by thugs for refusing to part with his land, claimed that he received no help from the police. His damaged intestine was operated on, and moving the bowels was a problem.

Ack.: - thanks "the hindu" for the inputs.

The government is looting poor farmers with force which iss against the basic rights of farmers as a citizen of INDIA. We do not expect the government to be kind although (have they ever been?) but we do not expect them to be so harsh. How is India going to rise and how is the poverty level going to decrease if such is the case of unremitting behavior by the people who rule this nation.

Following the Gandhian way of protesting such practices, its good to know that our former PM has taken up the cause and we support him. GO on...