Bidadi township row: Farmers begin indefinite hunger strike, block main road

Mangalore Today News Network

Bengaluru, Sep 22, 2026: Farmers opposing the proposed Bidadi township project intensified their agitation on Monday by launching an indefinite hunger strike and blocking the Bidadi-Harohalli main road, demanding that the government withdraw the proposed land acquisition process.

The farmers have been protesting against the project for more than 565 days. As part of Monday’s protest, they parked tractors and bullock carts on the road and raised slogans against the government. Several women also joined the agitation, carrying brooms as a mark of protest.

Extending national support to the movement, P Krishnaprasad, national secretariat member of the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM), described the agitation as a “model movement” for protecting agricultural land.

Krishnaprasad said the SKM would mobilise support for the farmers’ movement across the country. He alleged that the Karnataka government was acquiring land by violating or bypassing provisions of the Land Acquisition Act, 2013, and said this was unacceptable.

“Due to the anti-farmer policies of the central and state governments, farmers are migrating from villages. The governments claim they are developing the country, but in reality they are destroying villages. It is not just small and marginal farmers; even medium and large landholders are now being driven to suicide,” he said.

The protesting farmers alleged that an advisory committee formed by the government to examine the issue had neither visited the affected villages nor heard their concerns, despite more than a month having passed since its formation.

“We have repeatedly submitted representations to the chief minister, deputy chief minister, Governor, district administration and elected representatives. We have even personally appealed to ministers to spare our land. Yet, no official has come to our villages to hear us,” a protesting farmer said.

The farmers also alleged that no survey had been conducted to determine whether landowners were willing to part with their land.

“If a committee has been formed, its members should visit the affected areas, conduct a survey and obtain the opinion of the people. It has been more than a month, but nobody has come here,” another protester said.

The farmers demanded that all land acquisition-related activities be halted until the advisory committee completes its proceedings and submits its report.

They also expressed concern that the delay in the committee’s proceedings could be used to claim that opposition to the project is weakening, potentially strengthening the government’s case to proceed with the township project.

“We will not give our land under any circumstances. We have been fighting for more than a year and have approached the authorities at every level. We want the government to come here, listen to our problems and give us a clear assurance,” another farmer said.