All parties have failed farmers affected by BMIC project: Justice Gopala Gowda

'The farmers' fight led the new government led by Mamata Banerjee to quash land acquisition. You have to take up a similar fight to get justice in the case of the NICE project,' he told more than 500 farmers who had come together at a convention hall near Madavara under the banner of Karnataka Pranta Raitha Sangha.

Bengaluru: Retired Supreme Court judge Justice V Gopala Gowda on Sunday advised the farmers to demand the state government to cancel the land acquired for the Bangalore Mysore Infrastructure Corridor Project and urge the government to implement the recommendations of the Assembly committee report.

He was addressing more than 500 farmers who had come together at a convention hall near Madavara under the banner of Karnataka Pranta Raitha Sangha (KPRS).

"It has been eight years since (2016) the House Committee submitted its report, which has flagged glaring violations in the project. The Congress, JD(S) and the BJP were in power in these years. All parties have shown that they are not with farmers," he said.

Justice Gowda cited the example of the farmers in West Bengal fighting for their land in Singur. An apex court bench led by Gowda had quashed the Bengal government's acquisition of land for Tata. "Ultimately, it's the farmers' fight that made the new government led by Mamata Banerjee to quash land acquisition. You have to take up a similar fight to get justice in the case of the NICE project," he said.

Besides taking action against the officials for misleading the government, the committee had noted that while the cabinet directed acquisition of 13,237 acres, the KIADB began the process to acquire 23,846 acres. It recommended recovery of the land which was notified without necessity.

KPRS leader N Venkatachaliah noted that it was pressure from the farmers that made the then Congress government set up a house committee. "Once again, we need all the affected farmers to come together and demand the implementation of the committee's recommendations," he said.

KPRS General Secretary T Yashwanth alleged that the NICE company has violated the Supreme Court's directions and the state government has been avoiding taking action against the company.

Leaders said the company has not implemented the projects listed in the schedule of the framer work agreement, including the five townships or the high speed corridor between Bengaluru and Mysuru.

"Many of the farmers did not even know that their land was notified. Every procedure has been completed without their knowledge," he added.