WATCH: Women Farmers Hit Officials With Brooms As Karnataka's Bidadi Township Survey Sparks Violent Protests

· Free Press Journal

Ramanagara (Karnataka): A land survey for the proposed Bidadi Township Project turned chaotic on Monday after farmers staged a fierce protest against the exercise, alleging that officials were conducting the survey without their consent.

Videos from Mandalahalli village in Ramanagara taluk showed women protesters confronting government officials, symbolically hitting them with brooms and demanding that the survey be stopped immediately. The dramatic scenes unfolded as tensions escalated between villagers, survey officials and the police.

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Women Lead Protest, Survey Team Forced To Halt

Officials of the Joint Measurement Committee (JMC), accompanied by police personnel, had arrived in the village to conduct the land survey for the proposed township.

However, farmers in huge number gathered at the site, blocked the exercise and insisted that no survey would be allowed without the consent of landowners. Women protesters took the lead, surrounding the officials and waving brooms in protest, accusing the government of attempting to acquire their land against their wishes.

Official Vehicles Damaged Amid Clashes

The situation soon turned volatile as protesters allegedly pelted bricks at two government vehicles, damaging them.

A heated confrontation also broke out between farmer leaders and police personnel as authorities attempted to continue the survey despite mounting resistance. Police tried to pacify the crowd, but the standoff continued for several hours.

₹18,000-Crore Township At Centre Of Political Row

The proposed ₹18,000-crore Bidadi Township Project has emerged as a major political flashpoint in Karnataka.

The Congress government has defended the project, saying it is crucial to decongest Bengaluru and accommodate the city's future urban expansion.

However, the BJP and JD(S) have strongly opposed the plan, accusing the government of targeting fertile agricultural land and threatening the livelihoods of thousands of farmers.

Karnataka 'Bidadi Township' Row Escalates: D K Shivakumar Invites H D Kumaraswamy For Meeting, HDK Demands Open Debate | Video

Project To Cover Over 7,400 Acres

According to reports, the proposed township will spread across 7,481 acres covering nine villages in Ramanagara district. Authorities have already issued what is believed to be the first notification in a series of land acquisition notices.

Meanwhile, the Greater Bengaluru Development Authority (GBDA) has floated a ₹26-crore tender to appoint a consultant for preparing the master plan, Detailed Project Report (DPR), and project management services for the proposed Greater Bengaluru Integrated Township (GBIT).

With farmers intensifying their agitation and political opposition mounting, the Bidadi Township project is set to remain one of Karnataka's most contentious development initiatives.

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