Karnataka Chief Minister DK Shivakumar and Union Minister HD Kumaraswamy traded sharp accusations over the proposed Bidadi Township project, reigniting a long-running debate over land acquisition, farmer compensation and industrial development in the state, multiple media reports said.
Speaking after a Cabinet meeting at Vidhana Soudha, Shivakumar accused Kumaraswamy of misleading farmers and reversing his position on a project he once championed.
"The farmers of Bidadi are good people, but they are being misled. Isn't Kumaraswamy the architect of this project? He himself has admitted it," Shivakumar said.
The chief minister maintained that the Congress government was merely carrying forward a project initiated during Kumaraswamy's tenure and later continued under former Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa.
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"We are only taking the project further; we have not initiated anything new," he said.
Shivakumar noted that while Kumaraswamy had earlier proposed allotting 40% of developed land to affected farmers, the current government had increased that share to 50%.
"We have assured farmers that they will receive 50% of the developed land. The process of disbursing compensation at the rate of Rs 2.5 crore per acre commenced on Friday," he said.
Questioning Kumaraswamy's criticism, Shivakumar asked why the former chief minister had originally notified the land for the township and designated the area a "red zone" if he opposed the project.
The chief minister also claimed that nearly 80% of landowners had voluntarily agreed to part with their land and said the state would proceed within the legal framework. He rejected demands to de-notify the land, arguing that industrial growth requires land acquisition.
Earlier in the day, Kumaraswamy defended his opposition to the current proposal, saying his position had remained consistent since his tenure as chief minister.
"The Bidadi Township issue was discussed in detail in the Assembly. My position as Chief Minister is on record. I had clearly stated that not even an inch of fertile agricultural land would be acquired for the project," he said.
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Kumaraswamy said the township formed part of a broader plan to establish five townships across Karnataka and announced that he would soon present documents detailing his stance.
He also questioned the sustainability of compensation payments, arguing that farmland would generate greater long-term value than one-time payouts.
"If Rs 2.30 crore is placed in a fixed deposit for 20 years, the interest earned may not exceed around Rs 40 lakh. But if the land is retained, its value could appreciate to nearly Rs 20 crore over the same period," he said.
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