Siddaramaiah Seeks 10 Days to Resolve Legal Hurdles as Devanahalli Farmers Threaten Statewide Protest

The much-awaited meeting between Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and protesting farmers from Devanahalli taluk ended in yet another stalemate on July 4, 2025.

The state government has sought 10 more days to decide on the controversial land acquisition for the proposed aerospace park.

Farmers Demand Cancellation of Land Acquisition

Farmers from 13 villages in Channarayapatna hobli, Devanahalli taluk, have been opposing the acquisition of 1,777 acres of their agricultural land for the aerospace project.

The protest, ongoing for over 1,185 days, shows no signs of slowing down as farmers remain determined to protect their ancestral lands.

Following the meeting at Vidhana Soudha, the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO) released a statement explaining the government’s position.

It cited legal complications as the reason for the delay, adding that consultations with experts were necessary before taking a final decision.

“Since the final notification was already issued in April, there is a need to discuss the pros and cons of shelving the acquisition process. Therefore, the government will require 10 more days to arrive at a clear decision,” the CMO statement read.

Legal Hurdles Delay Decision

The CMO also stressed that the government cannot take any action that goes against the law.

“As the final notification has been issued, the legal aspects need to be reviewed. A preliminary meeting regarding this matter was held yesterday,” it added, referring to the discussions held on July 3 with Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, Industries Minister M.B. Patil, and senior officials.

Siddaramaiah reiterated the government’s commitment to dialogue. “We believe in democracy and dialogue. We have not obstructed any protests. I myself have been part of farmers’ organisations in the past. Even though protests are being held against us, we have not tried to suppress them,” the Chief Minister stated.

He has called for another meeting in 10 days to finalise the government’s stance on the issue.

Farmers Unwilling to Back Down

With the talks ending without resolution, farmers have announced plans to intensify their protests until July 15. Their ultimatum to the government is clear — cancel the land acquisition or face a massive, statewide agitation.

Present at the meeting were Chief Minister’s legal advisor Ponnanna, Industries Minister M.B. Patil, Food and Civil Supplies Minister K.H. Muniyappa, Urban Development Minister Byrathi Suresh, CM’s political secretary Naseer Ahmed, and Chief Secretary Dr. Shalini Rajneesh.

National Leaders Join the Farmers’ Movement

Earlier in the day, national farmer leaders from the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM), including Rakesh Tikait, addressed a state-level convention titled Save Our Lands in support of the protesting farmers.

They are in Karnataka to extend solidarity to the farmers of Devanahalli.

The land acquisition for the Defence and Aerospace Park has faced fierce opposition, especially from the Channarayapatna-Devanahalli Land Acquisition Resistance Struggle Committee, supported by Samyukta Horata Karnataka and several other organisations.

The protest gained momentum after police action during the Devanahalli Chalo rally on June 25, which was followed by an indefinite sit-in at Freedom Park in Bengaluru from June 27.

Political History and Growing Frustration

The land acquisition process was initiated nearly three years ago during the BJP government’s tenure.

Ironically, the Congress, while in opposition, had supported the farmers’ resistance but has done little since coming to power two years ago, leading to increased frustration among the farmers.

A farmer leader outside Vidhana Soudha made the community’s stance clear: “No matter how many days pass, we will not give up our land to any corporate power.”

Farmers have warned the government that failure to act by July 15 will trigger a massive statewide protest, with support from national farmer organisations like SKM.

Plans for Statewide and Nationwide Action

As part of the intensified movement, activists and farmers will tour the 13 affected villages, holding mass meetings and erecting signboards opposing the land acquisition.

In a strategic move, the Devanahalli land struggle will also be integrated into the nationwide workers’ general strike scheduled for July 9.

Supporting organisations hope this will further strengthen public support for the farmers’ cause, pushing the Karnataka government to reconsider its position on the land acquisition.

The deadlock continues, with both the government and farmers standing firm, setting the stage for critical developments in the coming days.