Karnataka CM says no land will be taken by force for Bidadi AI Township

Karnataka Chief Minister D K Shivakumar assured farmers that no land will be taken by force for the proposed Bidadi AI Township project.

The assurance follows a period of escalating tension and physical clashes between local landowners and government officials. The dispute centers on the acquisition of agricultural land for a high-tech hub, a move that has sparked fears of displacement among the rural population.

Violence erupted on July 13 ^[2] during a land-acquisition survey in the Bidadi area. Two people, including a survey official and Ramanagara Rural Police Inspector Murali, were injured during the unrest ^[3]. In response to the clashes, police registered two FIRs against protesting farmers ^[1].

Farmers have opposed the project, alleging that the government conducted the land survey without their consent. The project site is located in the Ramanagara district, though some reports associate the development with the Bengaluru South district.

"No farmer's land will be taken by force for Bidadi Township," Shivakumar said. He said, "We will protect farmers and ensure their interests are safeguarded."

The political fallout of the project has drawn the attention of Union Minister H D Kumaraswamy. Between June 22 and June 27, Kumaraswamy engaged in a series of communications with the Chief Minister regarding the row. He proposed shifting meetings with farmers to late June to resolve the impasse.

Kumaraswamy has continued to pressure the state government for transparency. "I challenge the CM to an open debate on the Bidadi township project," Kumaraswamy said.

The state government maintains that the AI Township is a critical component of regional development, but the recent violence underscores the difficulty of balancing urban technological expansion with rural land rights.