Gowda may ask farmers to go all out from next week; insiders say toll gates to be smashed, land taken over
Gowda may ask farmers to go all out from next week; insiders say toll gates to be smashed, land taken over
The tussle over the Nandi Infrastructure Corridor Enterprises (NICE) high-speed road between the man behind it, Ashok Kheny, and Janata Dal (Secular) president Deve Gowda is poised to take a nasty turn with the politician deciding to resort to violent farmer protests from next week.
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"Gowda is expected to address a press conference on February 7, when he will announce the next course of action," said a source close to Gowda. "I think a violent stir is imminent."
So far, Gowda and his farmer followers have been blocking the road to protest against NICE's alleged acquisition of land in excess of what was permitted. According to the court's order, NICE could get 21500 acres, while according to Gowda it has acquired 29,000 acres.
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NICE managing director Ashok Kheny |
"Among the extra land 6,000 acres is government property, while the rest belongs to farmers," said the source.
"Our aim is to get the land back for the farmers, while taking the government land out of the clutches of the land shark."
Some time ago, during a street protest Gowda allegedly called Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa names, but later went on to meet him, when the Chief Minister decided to forget the insults and assured him he would look into the irregularities in the BMIC project.
Waiting for CM to act
"The chief minister assured us action would be taken against NICE after an inquiry," said a JD (S) leader. "We will wait till February 7, and then we will show what farmers' strength is like."
He said JD (S) activists would attack the BMIC along the stretch and allot the land back to farmers, asking them to plough it.
"We will divide the entire land into units of three acres each and distribute it to farmers on the basis of one unit per family," said the JD (S) leader. "We will not care for blood bath, as we ready for everything. You are going to see a Nandigram in Karnataka.'
Ashok Kheny, managing director of NICE, who was away in Delhi, said, "I will not do anything in reaction to Deve Gowda's action. Let him do whatever he wants.
I believe in a legal battle. If he believes in a bloodbath, he is welcome to do as he pleases."
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