Police halt JD(S) padayatra at Bengaluru border; Aug 18 protest announced

The Janata Dal (Secular) Youth Wing president, Nikhil Kumaraswamy, called off his padayatra from Bidadi to Bengaluru on Monday after police blocked the march at Kaniminike, on the outskirts of the city. The yatra was organised to oppose the Bidadi Township project. Mr. Nikhil later announced that the party would hold a rally at Freedom Park on August 18, led by former Prime Minister and JD(S) supremo H.D. Deve Gowda.

The Bidadi Township project has become a major political flashpoint between Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar and the JD(S) in the Vokkaliga heartland. The project, which involves large-scale land acquisition, has been opposed by farmers and the JD(S), who argue that it will displace landowners and benefit private developers.

Mr. Deve Gowda, who flagged off the padayatra for the second day on Monday, condemned the police action and said the party's struggle against the project would continue. "The Chief Minister has said that the government will not force farmers to give up their lands. Then why stop the padayatra?" he asked, alleging that Mr. Shivakumar was in a hurry to implement the project to fulfil promises made to the Congress high command.

Earlier in the day, the padayatra crossed the Bengaluru-Mysuru National Highway toll plaza near Kaniminike and entered Bengaluru Urban district, where police blocked the route. Mr. Nikhil and JD(S) workers strongly objected, raised slogans against the government, and sat on the road in protest. As the situation threatened to escalate, Mr. Nikhil announced that the padayatra would be called off, accusing the government of attempting to suppress the farmers' agitation.

Mr. Nikhil also responded to the Chief Minister's recent statement that compensation for one acre of land could be as high as ₹3 crore. He described the Bidadi Township project as a "real estate project" and said farmers could not be bought with money.

Meanwhile, speaking to reporters in Malur, Mr. Shivakumar said there were no farmers in the BJP-JD(S) padayatra and that the parties had gathered party workers from other constituencies. He did not directly comment on the police action.