Prakash Raj Criticizes Karnataka CM’s Response to Devanahalli Farmers’ Demands

Swift Summary

• Multilingual actor Prakash Raj accused Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah of staging a ‘drama’ over the Devanahalli land acquisition issue.
• Farmers are protesting against the acquisition of 1,777 acres across 13 villages for defense and aerospace corridors.
• Mr. Siddaramaiah initially promised time to examine legal hurdles surrounding the acquisition during a meeting with farmers on July 4 but later sought permission from Defence Minister Rajnath Singh in Delhi for setting up defense corridors in the same region.
• Mr. Raj alleged involvement by the state government in “real estate business” and questioned why land was acquired without clarity on its use.
• Farmers’ activist Chukki Nanjundaswamy referenced a public statement from industries Minister M.B. Patil that allegedly indicated government plans to use the same land for corridors.
• Accusations were made regarding coercion tactics used to divide farmers, including offers of ₹3 crore per acre compensation, threats about future restrictions (green zone status), and misinformation campaigns by state agents (‘pudaris’).
• concerns were raised by Mr. raj about compensation covering only landowners, leaving out landless laborers and women dependent on agricultural produce from the targeted lands.
• Mr. Raj criticized BJP and JD(S) leaders for their silence on this issue despite political differences with Congress.

Indian Opinion Analysis
The Devanahalli protests highlight critical tensions between governmental infrastructure projects and local livelihoods-a recurring theme in India’s rural policy discourse. While securing defense aerospace corridors may bolster national interests like industrial growth or strategic preparedness, ignoring farmer concerns risks alienating communities dependent on agriculture, raising ethical questions around displacement caused by development initiatives.

Prakash Raj’s allegations underline gaps in obvious dialogue between policymakers and affected populations; such discord often fuels distrust toward government intentions irrespective of ruling party affiliation-as evidenced here through criticism directed not just at Congress but also opposition parties BJP and JD(S).

Resolving this impasse requires clarity over intended use of acquired lands before formal proceedings escalate further-ensuring all stakeholders engaged are adequately informed while assessing fairness across compensatory frameworks designed for marginalized groups like women agricultural workers or non-landowning laborers.

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