Congress MLA Balakrishna Accuses Kumaraswamy of Selective Opposition on Bidadi Land Acquisition

Magadi MLA and Congress leader H.C. Balakrishna on Tuesday criticised Union Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy and his son Nikhil Kumaraswamy, accusing them of selectively opposing the proposed Bidadi Township Project while remaining silent on similar land acquisition exercises elsewhere in Karnataka.

Speaking to reporters in Bengaluru, Mr. Balakrishna questioned why Mr. Kumaraswamy was protesting only in Bidadi, despite land acquisition being carried out for projects in Sarjapur, Chickballapur, Hosakote, and Doddaballapur. He also noted that 1,800 acres had been acquired in Hassan, Mr. Kumaraswamy's hometown, for a proposed IIT campus even before receiving final approval from the Centre.

Mr. Balakrishna expressed reservations about Mr. Kumaraswamy's demand for a discussion on the project in Bidadi or Bairamangala, saying it could lead to clashes between JD(S) and Congress workers and create law and order concerns.

The MLA alleged that the farmers' agitation had taken on a political dimension, accusing JD(S) leaders of mobilising supporters from Mandya, Mysuru, and other regions to strengthen the protest. He claimed the movement was being used to target Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar politically rather than address farmers' concerns.

However, protesting farmers in Bidadi countered that Mr. Balakrishna had not visited any of the villages under the project area in the past year, despite being the local MLA.