The farmers have been protesting for the past 1,178 days against the acquisition of 1,300 acres at Channarayanapatna Hobli, and the KIADB's plan to take over an additional 1,777 acres of farmland spread over 13 villages in Devanahalli.
Published Jun 26, 2025 | 6:58 PM ⚊ Updated Jun 26, 2025 | 6:58 PM
The protesters took a vow to protect the land at any cost.
Synopsis: Farmers in and around Devanahalli have been protesting against the KIADB’s move to acquire their fertile farmlands to develop an aerospace park. Losing land, the protesters said, is akin to erasing their identity.
Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has called for a meeting with farmers from Devanahalli, who have been protesting against a Karnataka Industrial Areas Development Board (KIADB) move to acquire their lands for an aerospace park.
A protester said Siddaramaiah called for the meeting even as the farmers, on Wednesday, 25 June, vowed to protect their properties at the cost of their lives. The meeting will be held at the chief minister’s official residence, Kaveri, at 11 am on 4 July.
On Wednesday, hundreds of farmers converged near the taluk office at Devanahalli, a Bengaluru suburb, and issued a 24-hour ultimatum to the government to de-notify the land and drop the acquisition plan. The protesters said they would intensify their stir if the government failed to heed their demand.
The farmers have been protesting for the past 1,178 days against the acquisition of 1,300 acres at Channarayanapatna Hobli, and the KIADB’s plan to take over an additional 1,777 acres of farmland spread over 13 villages in Devanahalli. The protest began after the farmers were issued notices in January 2022.
“It’s been four years since this horata (struggle) began. They gave us the notice for a few areas like Mattibarlu and Tellohalli. We have been protesting against the acquisition,” Munegowda, a protesting farmer, told South First.
Several organisations are backing the farmers.
The protest by the KIADB Land Acquisition Resistance Struggle Committee has the backing of various state and national-level organisations, including those of farmers, workers, Dalits, and women’s outfits.
Another farmer said taking away their land was akin to erasing their identity. “We will not give the land under any circumstances. No compensation is equivalent to this land. Nothing will make us give this land away. It’s like taking our identity away. It doesn’t matter if we have to go to jail for days; we will not stop this protest until we get what we are demanding,” she asserted.
The woman further said their land was equally developed and has been producing food. “The KIADB wants our fertile land—the land that has been producing food,” she lashed out.
Concurring, environmentalist and farmers’ rights activist Chukki Nanjundaswamy at the protest site said Devanahalli has been fulfilling 30 percent of Bengaluru’s agricultural needs. “Most of Bengaluru’s milk, vegetables, fruits, and flowers go from here,” he said.
Actor Prakash Raj, who addressed the protesters, reminded Siddaramaiah of the Congress’s election promise to de-notify the land earmarked for acquisition. He also drew the chief minister’s attention to his advocacy AHINDA, representing the minorities, backward classes, and Dalits.
Later, people from 13 villages in Channarayapatna Hobli of Devanahalli Taluk took a pledge. “Today, there is an attempt to break our unity. An effort to lure us with false promises. An attempt to intimidate us. In front of the representatives of all people’s movements and communities of Karnataka, we take this pledge once again today: Even if we lose our lives, we will never sell this soil,” they vowed.
The police later arrested the protesters. Incidentally, the date coincided with the 50th anniversary of the internal Emergency, promulgated in 1975.
“We insisted on continuing the protest, but the police said the permission was only until 5 pm and decided to arrest us. They just took us away. We were only let out around 12:30 am,” Nanjundaswamy said.
“We didn’t want to come out. We were willing to be under detention. In the meantime, the chief minister called five of us, requesting that we call off the protest. After our discussion, we felt it was important to give the chief minister a last chance, as he has been asking for more time,” she said about the upcoming meeting.
Meanwhile, Industries Minister MB Patil said several parcels of land have been excluded from acquisition.
“Farmers from this region had already lost their land twice earlier for industrial projects. Taking this into account, along with the fact that the land includes irrigated farmland and human habitation, the government has decided to exclude 231.23 acres in Channarayapatna, 185.18 acres in Mattibarlu, and 78.21 acres in Shrotriya, Tellohalli from the acquisition process,” he said at a meeting with Devanahalli MLA and Bengaluru Rural District Minister KH Muniyappa.
The acquisition of the remaining 1,282.38 acres would continue as planned. This will cover 10 villages: Palya, Haraluru, Polanahalli, Gokare, Bachchenahalli, Nalluru, Mallepura, Nallappanahalli, Cheemachanahalli, Muddenahalli, and Hadayala.
Patil added that those losing their land would have an option to receive 10,771 square feet of developed land per acre, which could be used for commercial purposes.
(Edited by Majnu Babu).
