HDK’s Open Challenge to CM: “Come to Byramangala for a Public Debate”
Alleges Township Deals Are Being Conducted from a Rented House In Nagarbhavi Instead of DC’s Office
Bengaluru: Union Minister for Heavy Industries and Steel, H D Kumaraswamy, launched a sharp counterattack against Chief Minister D K Shivakumar, urging him to revisit the statements he himself made on the floor of the Assembly in 2007 regarding the Bidadi Township project.
Issuing a challenge to the Chief Minister, who has recently claimed that those agitating against the project for the last 500 days are not genuinefarmers, Kumaraswamy said: “Come to the protest site at Byramangala. You will then know whether those sitting there are real farmers or fake farmers. I am ready to come. Are you prepared to come to Byramangala?,” Kumaraswamy challenged.
The Union Minister alleged that leaders who are today spearheading efforts to acquire fertile agricultural land from innocent farmers in pursuit of real estate interests had themselves vehemently opposed the very same Bidadi Township project inside the Assembly. He said the present Chief Minister was among the foremost critics of the project then, but now appears determined to implement it at any cost to facilitate real estate activities.
Kumaraswamy pointed out that Chief Minister D K Shivakumar, former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, Leader of Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge and several other Congress leaders had strongly opposed the project in 2007.
“Those who thundered against the project then are today speaking in its favour. This is a glaring contradiction. More importantly, Mallikarjun Kharge and Siddaramaiah are maintaining silence despite witnessing the irregularities allegedly being committed by the present Chief Minister,” he charged.
He clarified that it was indeed his government that had conceptualised the development of five satellite townships, including Bidadi, with the objective of easing out pressure on Bengaluru.
A decision regarding the township project was taken on 23 September 2009, while a government notification had been issued on 18 October 2006.
“People say that H D Kumaraswamy was the architect of the Bidadi Township. I do not deny it. But I never conceived the project to dispossess farmers of their lands and hand them over to real estate interests. When farmers opposed it, I abandoned the project without hesitation. Even today, nearly 80-90 percent of farmers oppose the scheme. If that is the case, what prevents the Chief Minister from dropping it?” he asked.
Kumaraswamy recalled that when he had first proposed the project, Congress leaders, including the present and former Chief Ministers, had launched a major political offensive against him, citing concerns over farmers, fertile agricultural lands, forests and trees.
Congress had subsequently constituted a fact-finding committee under senior leader H K Patil. The committee visited Bidadi, Solur, Kasaba, Hoskote and other locations and conducted an inquiry.
“What eventually happened to that report remains a million-dollar question. Ironically, discussions on the report and the contradictory stand of Congress leaders continued in the Assembly for more than three days,” he noted.
Referring to discussions held under Rule 69 of the Assembly proceedings, Kumaraswamy said that on 1 August 2007, D K Shivakumar delivered an elaborate speech, stating: “This concerns our party’s credibility. The issue of our fact-finding committee concerns our credibility. Therefore, examine all the papers available with your officials, what they have proposed, what your Industries Department and KIADB Township authorities have proposed and declared, and then come back with an answer. You have to apologise to the Congress party. Otherwise, you have to withdraw your statement.”
Kumaraswamy said these were the “pearls of wisdom” uttered by the present Chief Minister while addressing then Minister Katta Subramanya Naidu.
“The same individual who passionately spoke about farmers, fertile lands and trees has today, upon becoming Chief Minister, allegedly set his sights on acquiring farmers’ lands. Is this justified?” Kumaraswamy asked.
The Union Minister also expressed deep disappointment over former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s silence.
He observed that Siddaramaiah had played an active role in constituting the fact-finding committee and had spoken extensively under Rule 69, but was now failing to intervene against what Kumaraswamy described as an anti-farmer land acquisition exercise undertaken by his own party’s government.
Kumaraswamy recalled Siddaramaiah’s earlier arguments: “Why should townships be developed near Bengaluru? They can be established in faraway places such as Hassan or Mandya. This region consists of highly fertile agricultural land with extensive horticultural cultivation. We will oppose any township here tooth and nail.”
He accused Congress leaders of spreading misinformation and asserted that he was relying solely on official Assembly records.
“I have released all documents and records of my statements to the media. It is my duty to speak the truth and stand with the people,” he added.
The Minister reminded that Karnataka had a JD(S)-BJP coalition government in 2006 and 2007, and leaders from the alliance were witnesses to the Assembly debates held during the first week of August 2007.
He maintained that people, especially residents of Bidadi, were aware of his stand and that falsehoods propagated by Congress leaders would not endure for long.
Kumaraswamy further noted that 80-90 per cent of farmers continue to oppose the township.
He claimed that more than 4,000 farmers have filed objections since the issuance of the preliminary notification, yet not a single farmer has received a response from the government.
“Is this what public service means? For what purpose does a Department of Public Service exist if farmers’ grievances are ignored?” he asked.
*Allegation of Operation from a Rented House in Nagarabhavi*
The Union Minister also made serious allegations regarding the manner in which township-related activities are allegedly being conducted.
He claimed that work associated with the project is not taking place in the Ramanagara Deputy Commissioner’s Office, but is instead being handled discreetly from a rented house in Nagarabhavi.
“Certain middlemen and associates of the township kingpins are allegedly conducting transactions there. Nothing connected with the township is happening at the DC’s office. Everything is being done behind closed doors. What does this indicate?” he asked. “The burden of your sins is overflowing. People are watching everything. The time for accountability and reckoning is drawing near,” Kumaraswamy concluded.
