Farmers from 13 villages in Devanahalli taluk, Bengaluru North district, have been protesting the KIADB’s proposed land acquisition for over 1,180 days, since 4 April 2022. On 27 June, the farmers launched an indefinite “Bhoomi Satyagraha” at Freedom Park, demanding a complete withdrawal of the project.
Published Jul 03, 2025 | 5:47 PM ⚊ Updated Jul 03, 2025 | 5:47 PM
Sarma urged Dr Shalini Rajneesh, Chief Secretary to the Government of Karnataka, to advise the government to reconsider the decision.
Synopsis: Former IAS officer EAS Sarma has lent his support to protesting farmers in Devanahalli, Karnataka, urging the state government to halt the acquisition of 1,777 acres of fertile agricultural land for a proposed aerospace park. The National Alliance of People’s Movements similarly warned of the social and food security risks posed by the proposed acquisition and personally held Chief Minister Siddaramaiah accountable for reneging on his past promises. The farmers, protesting for over three years, have launched an indefinite “Bhoomi Satyagraha” in Bengaluru, demanding full withdrawal of the project.
Retired IAS officer and former Secretary to the Government of India, EAS Sarma has extended his support to farmers protesting against land acquisition in Devanahalli, Karnataka, joining a growing number of activists, public figures and organisations opposing the Karnataka Industrial Areas Development Board’s (KIADB) plan to acquire around 1,777 acres of fertile agricultural land for a proposed hi-tech defence and aerospace park in Channarayapatna Hobli.
On Thursday, 3 July, Sarma forwarded a letter from the National Alliance of People’s Movements (NAPM) to Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah.
The letter was addressed to Dr Shalini Rajneesh, Chief Secretary to the Government of Karnataka, in which Sarma endorsed NAPM’s demand, urging the state to halt the displacement of local farming communities.
“I fully endorse NAPM’s demand in support of the Devanahalli farmers. Appropriation of valuable agricultural land has multifarious adverse social impacts, and it is imprudent to ignore the sentiments of the farmers,” Sarma wrote.
“Agricultural land supports the livelihoods of not just farmers but thousands of agricultural workers and all those who depend on agricultural activity. Such indiscriminate land acquisition adversely affects food security,” he added.
Sarma also urged Rajneesh to advise the government to reconsider the decision.
“Kindly advise the Karnataka authorities to desist from displacing Devanahalli farmers, disrupting their lives and forcing occupational and cultural displacement on them,” he wrote.
Farmers from 13 villages in Devanahalli taluk, Bengaluru North district, have been protesting the KIADB’s proposed land acquisition for over 1,180 days, since 4 April 2022.
The protests, opposing the acquisition of nearly 1,777 acres of fertile land for a planned aerospace park, have included sit-ins, fasts and demonstrations at Channarayapatna and Bengaluru’s Freedom Park.
On 27 June, the farmers launched an indefinite “Bhoomi Satyagraha” at Freedom Park, demanding a complete withdrawal of the project.
The National Alliance of People’s Movements (NAPM), in its letter to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah dated 3 July, has urged the Karnataka government to fully withdraw the proposed acquisition of 1,777 acres of agricultural land in Devanahalli taluk.
The letter, also addressed to AICC President and Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Mallikarjuna Kharge and Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi, was sent ahead of a scheduled meeting between the Chief Minister and a farmers’ delegation on 4 July.
“We call upon you to stand by the toiling farmers and the people of Karnataka who voted your Govt to power,” the letter states.
“After more than 1,150 days of peaceful resistance and betrayal by the Govt, when the farmers gave a state-wide Chalo Devanahalli call on 25th June, many of them were lathi-charged and detained in an absolutely condemnable way.”
The NAPM accused Chief Minister Siddaramaiah of reneging on his pre-election promises to cancel the acquisition.
In 2022, when in opposition, Siddaramaiah had assured the farmers that the project would be scrapped if Congress came to power. However, on 25 June, the government issued a final notification to acquire 430 acres.
“You personally visited the farmers of Devanahalli in Sep’22 and assured them that when your Govt would be voted to power, the land acquisition would be dropped. The farmers are only reminding you of your promise,” the letter reads.
The NAPM also criticised the Congress government for continuing with projects started by the previous BJP administration.
“It is a matter of pain and shame that even the Congress Govt continues to violate the [2013 Land Acquisition and Rehabilitation] Act blatantly and even pursues land grab projects initiated by the BJP!” it reads.
The NAPM, in its letter, further condemned the police disruption of the “Devanahalli Chalo” protest on 25 June, where farmers and activists were arrested.
“After more than 1,150 days of peaceful resistance and betrayal by the Govt, when the farmers gave a state-wide Chalo Devanahalli call on 25th June, many of them were lathi charged and detained in an absolutely condemnable way,” it said.
“Unfazed, they began their day-and-night Bhoomi Satyagraha at Freedom Park in the state capital, which has entered its 7th day. People’s organisations across Karnataka have lent solidarity to the struggle. We also know that you met a solidarity delegation, including actor Prakash Raj, in this regard and promised a meeting with the farmers on 4th July.”
Furthermore, the organisation rejected the government’s announced exclusion of 495 acres from acquisition as an attempt to “divide and loot” farmers.
“The intense struggle of the Devanahalli farmers has compelled the Govt to drop land acquisition for 495 acres. However, the farmers are rightly demanding that the proceedings for the entire stretch of 1,777 acres be dropped and the Govt stop playing ‘divide and loot’!” the letter states.
As reported by The Hindu, the acquisition threatens livelihoods and food security. Many who gave up land in previous acquisitions – totalling over 6,000 acres – now work as low-wage labourers, earning just ₹15,000–₹20,000 a month.
“It is known that the Karnataka Industrial Areas Development Board (KIADB) has already acquired over 6,000 acres of land in the same region, for the Haraluru Industrial Area, leading to displacement and suffering of a large number of farmers and farm workers, although they haven’t received all the rights due as per the Land Acquisition and Rehabilitation Act, 2013,” the NAPM noted.
“The state government must come clean on the fact that when more than 80 percent of the Devanahalli farmers are unwilling to part with their lands, (as revealed by the KIADB’s May 2022 survey), why is the forcible land acquisition happening in violation of the LARR Act, 2013?” the letter asks.
The NAPM outlined several “non-negotiable” demands to the Karnataka government, urging immediate steps to safeguard the rights and dignity of farmers in Devanahalli and surrounding taluks.
The demands are:
(Edited by Dese Gowda)
