Bengaluru, May 20 (IANS) Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar on Wednesday launched a sharp attack on Union Minister for Heavy Industries and Steel H.D. Kumaraswamy and former Prime Minister H.D. Deve Gowda over the controversial Bidadi township project, while asserting that the land acquisition process for the project had originally begun during their tenure.

Speaking after discussions with farmers at his official residence in Kumara Park, Bengaluru, Shivakumar said he was ready to accept Kumaraswamy’s “challenge” over the Bidadi township issue and asked him to decide on the venue and time for a public debate.

“Kumaraswamy has reportedly thrown a challenge regarding the Bidadi township issue. I am ready to accept it. I need only three days’ time. Let him decide the date, venue and time,” Shivakumar said.

The Deputy Chief Minister assured farmers that compensation for lands acquired for the township project would start being released from the first week of June.

He said the government had decided to issue final notifications village-wise in phases and added that nearly 80 per cent of farmers in the region had agreed to the project and were demanding early disbursement of compensation.

Shivakumar maintained that the project was not initiated by him but during Kumaraswamy’s tenure as Chief Minister.

He alleged that notifications for land acquisition had already been issued then and that a decision had also been taken to allot 8,000 square feet of developed land to affected farmers.

“The project was earlier handed over to DLF company, but the firm later withdrew, saying it was not viable,” he said.

He also pointed out that during the tenures of former Chief Ministers Jagadish Shettar and Basavaraj Bommai, the Karnataka Industrial Areas Development Board had acquired around 1,000 acres of land in the same region, but no objections were raised then.

Shivakumar accused the Janata Dal (Secular) leadership of politicising the issue despite their own involvement in the project’s earlier stages.

He alleged that members of the Deve Gowda family had themselves purchased land in the region, including in Devegere and Ketaganahalli villages, under the Bangalore Mysore Infrastructure Corridor Project limits.

“If they are truly concerned about farmers, there should be one law for everyone,” he said.

The Deputy Chief Minister said the area had been declared a “red zone”, restricting land transactions, and added that courts had refused to quash the project.

He said the government was proceeding after taking farmers’ concerns into account and offering higher compensation.

Shivakumar also claimed the township would be linked to Kanakapura Road, Mysuru-Bengaluru highway, and NICE Road, and that the government was planning an integrated “Greater Bengaluru Comprehensive Township”.

Reacting to criticism from Janata Dal (Secular) leader Nikhil Kumaraswamy, Shivakumar dismissed his remarks, saying local leaders would respond to him.

He further said Deve Gowda’s statements could not always be taken seriously, alleging that the former Prime Minister often changed positions according to political circumstances.

–IANS

mka/dan