Karnataka pushes ahead with Bidadi Township land acquisition despite farmer opposition

The Karnataka government has issued a final notification to acquire 518 acres of land for the Greater Bengaluru Integrated Township project in Bidadi, part of a larger 7,481‑acre scheme intended to decongest Bengaluru and estimated at Rs 20,000 crore. Chief Minister D. K. Shivakumar said Prime Minister Narendra Modi backed the project, prompting Union Minister H. D. Kumaraswamy to warn against using the PM’s name and to label the plan a "biggest land scam". Farmers in the villages of Kempayyanapalya, Mandalahalli and Vaderahalli have largely opposed the acquisition, citing concerns over the loss of up to one million trees and the impact on local dairy production. A protest is scheduled for 14 June, coinciding with Rahul Gandhi’s campaign against land grabs in the Andamans. The controversy highlights tensions between state development goals and agricultural community interests.