The Janata Dal (Secular) on Monday, August 10, called off its padayatra against the proposed Greater Bengaluru Integrated Township (GBIT) project after police stopped the march near Kaniminike on the outskirts of Bengaluru. The party has now shifted the protest to Freedom Park on August 18, where it plans to hold a larger demonstration under the leadership of JD(S) patriarch and former Prime Minister HD Deve Gowda.
The three-day padayatra, led by JD(S) youth wing president Nikhil Kumaraswamy and backed by the BJP, began at Byramangala near Bidadi on August 9. It was scheduled to cover around 38 km before reaching Freedom Park on August 11.
On Monday, protesters reached Kaniminike using a service road instead of the Bengaluru-Mysuru Expressway. After a lunch break, Nikhil and other leaders attempted to proceed towards the NICE Road junction via Challaghatta Metro station. Police stopped them, citing concerns over traffic congestion.
An argument broke out between the protesters and police personnel, and some protesters allegedly pushed police officers and attempted to cross the barricades. A few protesters were detained, following which the JD(S) decided to call off the march.
“There won’t be any march tomorrow. On August 18, there will be a massive protest at Freedom Park,” Nikhil said. He accused the Congress government of using the police to obstruct the agitation and said the party would continue to oppose the proposed acquisition of farmers’ land.
The padayatra had drawn attention after 93-year-old Deve Gowda joined the protesters on Sunday at BGS Circle in Bidadi. Gowda attacked Chief Minister DK Shivakumar over the proposed township, accusing the government of jeopardising farmers’ livelihoods.
“Why do you want to destroy the livelihood of the farmers here? For what purpose? Please tell us, Shivakumar,” Gowda said.
He questioned the need to acquire agricultural land when several sites and houses in Bengaluru were reportedly lying vacant. Citing figures available with the Bengaluru Development Authority, Gowda claimed around 20,000 BDA sites remained vacant, apart from unoccupied sites in other layouts and constructed houses.
Gowda also rejected the government's proposed compensation of more than Rs 3 crore per acre, arguing that farmers should not be forced to give up their land merely because they are offered money.
Nikhil similarly rejected the compensation offer and said the government would not be able to persuade farmers to part with their land. He recalled that farmers in Byramangala had been protesting against the project for 517 days.
“Do not measure self-respecting farmers in money, Chief Minister. No one here will bow to the lure of your money,” Nikhil said.
The Congress government, however, has dismissed the JD(S) agitation as a political exercise aimed at reviving the party and strengthening the political position of the Gowda family.
Shivakumar said the government was only taking forward a project that had originally been proposed during Kumaraswamy’s tenure as chief minister in 2006. He said the previous government had proposed compensation of Rs 25 lakh per acre, while the current government had increased it to between Rs 2.5 crore and Rs 3.5 crore per acre, depending on the case.
“They (JD(S)) are fighting for their political survival. There are no farmers there; they have brought their workers from other constituencies and are doing the yatre. Let them do it,” Shivakumar said.
He also pointed to the JD(S)’s role in the Bidadi and NICE Road projects, saying the party had backed both projects when it was in power.
The dispute centres on the proposed GBIT project, which the Karnataka government has described as India’s “first AI-powered integrated township”. The project is planned across villages between Harohalli and Bidadi in Bengaluru South.
A preliminary notification issued in March last year proposed acquiring 7,481 acres across nine villages. The government has since issued final notifications covering more than 5,400 acres across seven villages, amid opposition from farmers and local residents.
The state government has said the project will include modern roads, metro connectivity, a sports arena, parks, housing and other infrastructure. It has also maintained that land acquisition will be voluntary and that farmers who prefer land instead of monetary compensation will be given 50% of the developed land.
Amid the protests, the government recently constituted a four-member committee headed by retired High Court judge Justice Guhanathan Narendar to examine the concerns and feedback surrounding the project and submit its report within 30 days.
The political dispute has also drawn criticism from Congress leaders. Karnataka Home Minister Priyank Kharge accused the JD(S) of using the agitation to revive the party and re-establish the political relevance of the Gowda family’s third generation.
The JD(S), meanwhile, has said the August 18 protest will be larger and will continue to oppose the project until the government addresses the concerns of farmers and local residents.