K’taka: Deve Gowda flags off second day of Bidadi padayatra

Bengaluru, Aug 10 (IANS) Former Prime Minister and Janata Dal (Secular) [JD(S)] supremo H.D. Deve Gowda on Monday flagged off the second day of the party’s Bidadi padayatra, led by JD(S) Youth Wing president Nikhil Kumaraswamy, from BGS Circle in Bidadi on the outskirts of Bengaluru. Nikhil is Deve Gowda’s grandson and son of Union Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy.

The padayatra is being held in opposition to the proposed Bidadi Township project and in support of farmers’ concerns over land acquisition. Deve Gowda launched the second day of the march in the presence of senior JD(S) leaders, legislators and party workers.

The JD(S) has maintained that the padayatra is aimed at highlighting farmers’ concerns and opposing any move that could adversely affect their land and livelihoods. The second day witnessed participation from a large number of party workers and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) supporters, with leaders reiterating their commitment to continue raising the issue of farmers’ land rights.

Speaking to the media after flagging off the march, Deve Gowda questioned the intention behind the Karnataka government’s proposed township project and asked Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar who would ultimately benefit from it.

“What is the intention behind the Bidadi Township project? Whom are they trying to benefit? Why are they trying to implement it within 60 days of becoming Chief Minister?” he asked.

Deve Gowda further questioned why Shivakumar did not initiate the project when he was Deputy Chief Minister and Bengaluru Development Minister.

“When D.K. Shivakumar was the Deputy Chief Minister and was in charge of Bengaluru, why did he not take it up then? Why are they trying to implement a township project that did not exist for all these years now?” he said.

He also pointed out that more than 20,000 Bengaluru Development Authority (BDA) sites were lying vacant in Bengaluru and questioned the need for another township project. Deve Gowda said former Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy had earlier announced the township project and accused the Congress government of now claiming it was merely continuing Kumaraswamy’s initiative.

“Kumaraswamy had announced the township project. Now they are saying that we are only continuing it. Congress aborted the child of Kumaraswamy’s township project,” he remarked.

Karnataka BJP President and MLA B.Y. Vijayendra on Monday said there was no confusion within the party over protecting the land and interests of farmers in Bidadi, asserting that the BJP would continue to stand firmly with farmers.

“There is no confusion for the BJP when it comes to protecting the land and interests of Bidadi farmers. Both the BJP and JD(S) are fighting for the interests of farmers, and protecting farmers’ interests is our common objective,” Vijayendra said.

Clarifying the BJP’s position on the padayatra, he added that there was no need for anyone to be confused about the issue.

Former ministers D.C. Thammanna and C.S. Puttaraju, MLAs H.C. Balakrishna, G.D. Harish Gowda, Sharanagouda Kandakur, Swaroop Prakash and Suresh Babu, along with Shidlaghatta MLA Ravikumar, also participated in the padayatra.

–IANS

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