Devanahalli Farmers' Historic Victor
Over
three years since the national farmers' movement forced the Modi
government’s rollback of the three farm laws, Karnataka's farmers have
now won a major battle of their own. The Congress-led State Government,
under pressure from sustained protest, has cancelled the plans to
acquire 1,777 acres of fertile agricultural land in Devanahalli.
Commonly dubbed as Bengaluru’s nutritional and food lifeline,
Devanhalli’s fertile lands have supplied fruits, vegetables and other
essentials to the city for decades. The farmers were firm and unyielding
in their demand: they resolutely expressed that they have no intention
to part with their land, and that they wish to continue their farming in
the region which has sustained lives and livelihoods for generations.
This glorious victory belongs to the Devanahalli farmers
and their 1198 days of determined struggle; those who have stood in
solidarity this struggle, especially over the past month, can take pride
in their supportive role.
Among the lessons from
this struggle, the principal one is reaffirmation that once a people are
committed to better their lives, no force under the sun can stop them.
This is the longest ever farmers protest in Karnataka, and farmers from
all communities stood united under the banner of ‘Bhoosvadhina Virodhi
Horata Samithi’ (Anti-Land Acquisition Struggle Committee), with
Karahalli Srinivas, a leader with the Dalit Sangarsha Samithi, at the
forefront. The Devanahalli farmers refused to engage in any legal battle
and instead trusted their unity and struggle. Their indefinite dharna
over 1198 days was spirited, even when they faced disappointment and
isolation; even when support and solidarity was ebbing. They faced
relentless repression and criminalisation of their democratic struggle
with the police targeting protesting farmers have scores of criminal
cases. They have braved many a police brutality as well – on 15th August
2022, the police used brutal force against the protesting farmers in
Devanahalli, assaulted and arrested them, injuring protesting farmers,
including a 32-year-old Pramod who suffered a serious eye injury.
With
the issuance of the final notification in June, the struggle took a big
turn with the Samyukta Horata call for “Devanahalli Chalo” on June
25th, which was met with brutal police excess and detention of leaders
and activists of farmer, working class and Dalit organisations. This
only resulted in an intense phase of struggle culminating in two
meetings with the Chief Minister. In the first meeting on July 4th the
Chief Minister sought for 10 days' time to assess the options for
overcoming supposed legal hurdles to the cancellation of this land
acquisition. This perception of helplessness in the face of the law was
debunked immediately by the All India Lawyers Association for Justice
(AILAJ), which released their detailed statement, clarifying that there
were no legal impediments to the State Government withdrawing from the
Devanahalli land acquisition, and any helplessness portrayed by the
Karnataka State Government in this regard was unfounded in law.
Between
these meetings, hectic efforts were made to derail the struggle and
break the unity of the farmers. A counter group of farmers were
mobilised to meet the Chief Minister and declared their readiness for
acquisition if compensation was higher. A package was offered by the
State government – drop about 495 acres from acquisition and give
increased case compensation or developed sites for the remaining land
acquired. The protesting farmers braved this storm as well. They
intensified the struggle in each of the 13 villages against land
acquisition and conducted a village-wise enumeration revealing that an
overwhelming majority of farmers were unwilling to acquiesce with the
land acquisition and exposed the falsity of any claims to the contrary.
The Government’s offer of higher compensation in lieu of their lands,
and offer to reduce 495 acres of land from what they initially sought to
acquire was resoundingly rejected by the farmers.
The
consequence of this grit and determination is the welcome decision of
the State Government to drop the land acquisition in its entirety.
Ofcourse the State Government has, while doing so, has also stated that
it will consider taking the lands of farmers willingly parting with
their lands. This is a face saver at best and red herring at worst. The
State cannot pretend to be a real estate agent going around and picking
up available property. It is bound to the rule of law, and the sole
manner in which it can secure lands for industrial or any purposes, is
to notify the said lands, which under the present circumstances is not
possible. Ofcourse, if the State Government were to choose this path, it
does so at its own peril and risks the wrath of not only the farmers,
but also of all organisations standing in solidarity with the farmers
and any democratic-minded person in the State.
Immediately
after this announcement by the State Government, BJP MP Tejasvi Surya
strongly criticized the Karnataka government's decision to withdraw from
this land acquisition declaring that this would set back the state's
potential to attract industry and create employment. Incidentally and
unsurprisingly, coming from a legacy of mercy petitioners, he deleted
this post on X (formerly Twitter) within a few hours. Given BJP’s
history of anti-farmer policies and the fact that it is their government
that initiated the acquisition process in Devanahalli, these statements
of Tejasvi Surya are hardly unexpected. BJP are committed to serve
their corporate masters at every turn.
The BJP has
maintained a loud silence throughout the period that the Devanahalli
farmers intensified their struggle against the Karnataka Congress
government. Since Modi's victory in 2014, fascist forces have
relentlessly pursued anti-farmer policies and its agenda to prioritize
big corporate interests in agriculture, as against the interests of
India’s peasants. Despite being forced to withdraw the 3 farm laws, the
Modi government is seeking to reintroduce its pro-corporate agricultural
policies under the guise of the new draft National Policy Framework on
Agricultural Marketing. Even their promise of doubling the income of
farmers has proven to be a wholesale jumla. The people of India have
resisted these attacks without fear. The sustained nation-wide struggle
of farmers and Adivasis stopped the Modi government's attempt to amend
the 2013 Land Acquisition Act. The epic agitation by farmers on the
borders of Delhi compelled the Modi government to withdraw the 3 farm
laws. Recently, farmer organizations across the country have united in
large-scale protests demanding freedom from debt and better minimum
support prices for agricultural produce.
In
Karnataka, the previous BJP Government under Chief Minister Basavaraj
Bommai passed a slew of amendments including to the Land Reforms Act and
the APMC Act, throwing open the agricultural sector to corporate
companies. In its 2023 election manifesto, the Congress party had made
several assurances to farmers including repealing the anti-farmer
amendments to various laws brought by the BJP, withdrawing politically
motivated cases against farmers, implementing MSP, declaring
interest-free loans, etc. In fact, ahead of these elections, then Leader
of Opposition Siddaramaiah had categorically assured the Devanahalli
farmers that the land acquisition initiated by the BJP government would
be dropped if the Congress came to power. There has been a noticeable
lack of urgency in the Congress Government’s efforts to realise these
promises. Even the Devanahalli farmers had to continue their indefinite
struggle to compel the Congress State Government to drop this land
acquisition.
The success of the Devanahalli
struggle must become driving force for more united and determined
struggles of the toiling masses against the neo-liberal policies of the
Congress State Government and to ensure it keeps up to the various
promises it made in the run-up to the 2023 Assembly Elections. BJP’s
role throughout the Devanahalli struggle has exposed their undemocratic
core and subservience to corporate interests, and must serve to reason
enough to reject the BJP.
The success of the Devanahalli struggle
in building a fighting unity between farmer, Ambedkarite and Left
traditions could provide a strong foundation for strengthening grassroot
struggles, fostering unity and building a consensus among the toiling
masses of the need for a Left-Democratic alternative, as part of the
larger anti-fascist struggle.
“We Must Fiercely Defend Our Agricultural Land”
Interview
with Ramesh Chemachanahalli, core committee member, Bhoo Swadina Virodhi
Horata Samiti (Anti-Land Acquisition Struggle Committee) about the
historic Devanahalli struggle
1. The Karnataka government
has withdrawn the Devanahalli land acquisition notification after 1198
days of struggle by the farmers. What is your message to the people of
Karnataka?
We are delighted about the victory. It is not just
our victory but of the people of entire Karnataka. It’s reassuring to
know that when people stand up for their rights, other concerned
organisations and people will surely join in solidarity. It’s a relief
and joy to know that the farmers here have saved their livelihood.
Our
message is that, if there is agriculturally productive land, it has to
be fiercely defended. There is no alternative to agriculture. Industries
and agriculture have to go hand in hand not one overlapping the other.
Hence agriculturally productive land has to be kept out of the purview
of acquisitions. Society isn’t stagnant water and organic development
keeps happening which is well and good but changes which are brought in
by bulldozing the lives of people against the people’s will has to be
opposed and land acquisitions shouldn’t happen like real estate business
and if such things are made by the Government, concerned farmers have
to come together and resist such moves by the Government. Build
movements which is inclusive of everyone, only then these struggles can
achieve victory.
2. Can you tell us more about the Devanahalli struggle?
The
preliminary notification for land acquisition was issued in August
2021, but we got to know only around September through social media. It
is only in first week of January 2022 that we received notices from the
Government. Once we got the notices, we panicked at the very thought of
losing our land. This was not the case of just few farmers; majority of
the affected farmers in all 13 villages felt this way, but at that time
not everybody was in touch with each other. In my village Murthy, Mukund
and I were speaking amongst ourselves regarding what to do. We knew
that we did not want to give up our ancestral lands, but we did not know
what to do to save them. Initially we tried different efforts, we
discussed our issue with Clifton D’ Rozario [CPI(ML) State Secretary]
contemplating approaching the Courts, but he advised us to concentrate
on building a movement against this land acquisition rather than
approaching courts, since that is where we stood the best chance of
victory.
In the beginning we concentrated on approaching the
authorities by writing to them about our serious objections to the land
acquisition including writing to the Deputy Commissioner (Collector) of
our district. We also got in touch with Lawyer Siddharth who had fought
to protect the land rights of Dalits in our area, and he helped in
co-ordinating and getting us in touch with people across the 13
villages. We came in touch with Karalli Srinivas who have been guiding
us throughout the protest. We then organised a meeting of
representatives from all 13 villages, where we firmly resolved to fight
to save our lands.
We began our protest by burning the
notices issued by the Karnataka Industrial Areas Development Board. This
was at the end of January 2022 and it was a gathering of about 100 -
150 farmers. That is how our movement began. The representatives of the
District Administration and the KIADB came and assured us that they
would communicate to the higher ups about our demands to drop the
acquisition. We gave them a warning that if nothing would happen within 3
months, we would start an indefinite protest against the Government.
In February that year, we held a massive tractor rally from
Channarayapatna to the office of the Deputy Commissioner (Collector),
during which we faced severe police repression. Despite that our rally
was a massive success and hundreds of farmers participated. We then got
in touch with state leaders such as Mavalli Shankar and Badgalpura
Nagendra who came to the rally. We met Chukki Nanjundaswamy, Bayyareddy,
Mavalli Shankar and other state leaders of Samyukta Horata.
3.
It was a long struggle, spanning more than 39 months. What were the
challenges amid the protracted struggle and how you all were able to
navigate them?
One thing what was deep rooted in the minds of
the farmers was that it was not going to be easy to change the
Government’s decision. However, relentless propaganda and meetings among
the affected villages began to create the belief that we stood a
fighting chance and this gave us immense confidence. The gathering at
out indefinite protest site and various programmes began increasing
rapidly as farmers started developing more and more confidence. It was
not easy to sustain this long. There were ups and downs where people
felt difficulties since it was a long struggle. There were very few
people who wanted to give land and for genuine reasons of poverty and
there were real estate agents and other vested political interests
working since day one to convince people to give up their lands.
Like
the urban poor, there are a lot of farmers who are in crisis. There are
many people willing to buy the lands off these farmers. Land is a means
of production and security. It cannot ever be bought again by these
farmers. People who sell land will have to do agriculture only, only
this time as landless labourers. Real estate brokers had started a trend
of preying on poor farmers during demonetization itself. We are sure
that these real estate brokers surely had an idea then itself that there
would be acquisition in these areas, so they would give a loan of say 5
lakhs to some poor farmer and get a General Power of Attorney from him
to take control over this land. So when the acquisition happens from the
Government these brokers would approach the farmers for double the
money or make sure they go to court to honour the agreement and this is
how they arm twist the farmers. This is a very fraudulent agreement.
This trend has been happening in previous acquisitions and is continuing
in other acquisitions too. Still we were able to overcome these
challenges in our area in this battle to save our lands.
Also,
there was police repression against the movement. Elderly women have
been manhandled, Farmers have been hit by lathis and have suffered
wounds but none of these acts the Government/police accept. Criminal
cases have been filed against scores of us. During a preventive
detention against us, my friend Pramod suffered a serious eye injury at
the hands of police. He has not fully recovered even after 2-3
surgeries.
Many organisations and individuals came in support
of the struggle through Samyukta Horata (Coalition of farmer, Dalit and
Trade Union organisations in Karnataka), especially since that June 25
“Devanahalli Chalo” protest. This gave us a big boost. Scores of
national-level organisations came in our support. All sorts of farmers,
leftist and Dalit organisations came in our support. Along with them
were many individuals and artists who contributed in the way they could
for the movement. Everybody played their role with utmost dedication and
that is why we could see the movement succeeding.
4. Tejasvi Surya, the BJP MP, criticised Siddaramaiah for dropping the land acquisition. What do you have to say about this?
The
BJP’s viewpoint on development is different from ours. For them
development means some large corporates companies and capitalists coming
and setting up industries. This is their concept of development. This
is skewed and is contrary to the development of the people. Recently
they waivered off Rs. 34,000 crore tax to Reliance company, whereas the
loan of entire farmers of Karnataka is estimated around 60,000 cr. On
one side industries like Reliance get their loans and taxes waived off
by the Government, on the other side the same Government does not
provide any such loan waiver, not even subsidies for seed, irrigation
and agricultural equipment to increase production. They do not have the
idea or vision of improving people’s living standards. They only see its
income generation by having crony ties with industries and does not
care about the people.
If you increase the living conditions
of the farmers they can pay the tax indirectly by consuming products
and contribute to the GDP. If they want farmers to compete with
industries in paying direct taxes, let the Government first ensure that
regular income is generated by agricultural labourers and small
land-holding farmers then we can talk about farmers paying income tax.
- Liberation Desk
Interview with Sharath, an activist of Devanhalli struggle and Bengaluru District Committee Member of CPIML
- Lekha Adavi
Devanahalli movement went of for 39 months and you were also involved in the struggle. Can you share your experience?
It
was on Day 75 of the 1198-day Devanahalli farmers' movement when I
learnt about the acquisition and the farmers’ protest from Comrade
Clifton. So, few of us went to Devanahalli to offer our solidarity. On
that day, there was a call for 'Devanahalli Bandh'. Shops were closed
and the common people of Devanahalli town closed their shutters in full
solidarity with the farmers’ protest. There was a procession rally taken
out by farmers inside the town. It was a successful bandh and there was
a tussle with the police also on the day. Farmers were quite militant
and enthusiastic, because they were directly impacted by this
acquisition and had to defend their lands.
I got to know that
entire villages surrounding Devanahalli were previously acquired to
build the Bangalore International Airport, and all those displaced
persons were eventually left in penury. Today no one knows where most of
them are or what they do. The first thing that hit me in the village
was that it was acres and acres of fertile lands which was slated for
acquisition. It was a beautiful sight, and one can only wonder how the
government could take away fertile lands for developmental projects.
I
was in touch with the farmers who were part of the core committee,
i.e., Ramesh and Pramod. We would discuss legal and strategic aspects.
Police notices were regularly issued when they were protesting in
Devanahalli.
On August 15, 2023 the farmers were holding a
protest march and wanted to hoist the national flag in a field nearby.
The message that they wanted to send was that farmers had not got
freedom against these land acquisitions. However, there was brutal
crackdown by the police on the day. One of the farmers was injured in
the eye and lost vision. Elderly and women farmers were brutally beaten.
Police were walking in the village in mufti and picking up anyone who
was in a gathering of four or five people. They were picking up people
randomly in black Innova cars. In fact, I had stayed back in the protest
site that day and at 4.00 a.m., the cops raided the protest site and
picked up the farmer leaders and me. There was a scuffle and in that I
was injured too.
Any significant point in the protest that stands out?
I
remember the farmers burning the notices of acquisition in front of
Bangalore Rural In-charge Minister and MLA from Devanahalli KH
Muniyappa's home. The government authorities had stuck notices in two
villages saying final notification for the acquisition has come, and
that the farmers have to give up their lands in a stipulated time. The
farmers burnt these notices in protest.
The other thing is,
time and again elderly women farmers - Narayanamma, Munivenkatamma,
Venkatamma - withstood police brutality and challenged the government
authorities to protect their land and not allowing it to be forcibly
acquired. These women fought to get their land allotted to them. They
are Dalits who got land allotted for their dignity and now were
protecting it. Narayanamma and Munivenkatamma challenged the Tahsildar
and Police once, saying that they are trespassing on their lands and
that they will not let it be acquired and will defend themselves and
their lands at all costs. This was very inspiring.
