Farmers from 13 villages of Channarayapatna Hobli in Devanahalli taluk have launched an indefinite ‘Bhoomi Satyagraha’ at Freedom Park in Bengaluru, opposing the state government’s move to acquire their agricultural land under the Karnataka Industrial Areas Development Board (KIADB).
The protest is led by the Channarayapatna Land Acquisition Protest Committee, with support from Samyukta Horata-Karnataka, a collective of Dalit, labour, women’s, and farmers’ organisations.
The farmers have been opposing the acquisition process for over three and a half years (1,180 days) since it was first initiated by the previous BJP government. The current Congress-led government issued a final acquisition notification in April 2025 for land in 10 of the 13 villages.
A planned protest on June 25 in Devanahalli town, named ‘Devanahalli Chalo’, was disrupted by police action. Protesters and several media outlets reported instances of police force being used, resulting in arrests and alleged assaults. These events led to protests across several districts on June 26, with organisations demanding that the government withdraw the acquisition and address police conduct.
On June 27, representatives of various civil society groups including actor Prakash Raj, journalist and writer Dr Vijayamma, and farmer leader Veerasangayya met with Chief Minister Siddaramaiah. They condemned the police action and urged the government to cancel the acquisition. In response, the Chief Minister stated that a cabinet meeting would be held on July 3, and that on July 4, representatives from Samyukta Horata-Karnataka and the Protest Committee would be invited for discussions to seek a resolution.
During the inauguration of the Freedom Park dharna, speakers, including Indudhar Honnapura of the Dalit Sangharsh Samithi (DSS) and others emphasised the need for the government to reconsider its position. They raised concerns about broader patterns of land acquisition and its impact on agricultural communities.
“This is a struggle to save our land, people, and culture. A new chapter has begun in the Channarayapatna farmers' struggle. This is a pro-farmer struggle that will build the future of this land. The government that created this problem is increasing it instead of solving it. The same Siddaramaiah who stands against farmers today once spoke for them. You repeat that you have kept your word; so keep this word. Do not stand with corporations and give thousands of acres of farmers' land to profiteers. Remain pro-people,” Indudhar Honnapura said.
Protesters stated that the sit-in will continue until the government makes a final decision on the acquisition. They have also called for a broader review of KIADB land acquisition practices across the state.