Consultative Meeting To Organize A Struggle
To Oppose Land Grabbing In Karnataka
By Concerned Citizens
13 February, 2012
Countercurrents.org
In order to oppose Government of Karnataka's on-going schemes of using the Karnataka Industrial Area Development Board (KIADB) to acquire farmers' land to provide it to industry, an activist group in Mysore comprising Badagalapura Nagendra, Kshirasagara, Parashurame Gowda, L.Jagannath and Basavaraju Kukkarahalli, called a day-long meeting of farmers, activists, artistes, intellectuals and office bearers of various movements on January 29, 2012, at the Agricultural Products Marketting Research Centre, Mysore. The meeting was attended by over 200 participants from almost all the districts of Karnataka, and was chaired by Maj Gen (Retd) Dr. Sudhir Vombatkere.
The meeting began with an explanation of the problems connected with the fall-out of the New Economic Policy (1991) that gives undue importance to industrial development at the cost of the agriculture sector. There is a growing nexus between government and some multi-national corporations (MNCs) and big industrialists in general, which is causing farmers to lose their land, commit suicide and migrate to urban areas. Further, the young generation is becoming disillusioned and restive.
Government of Karnataka appears to be interested only in foreign direct investment (FDI) by signing MOUs with large industries during Global Investors' Meets (GIMs), assuring them land, water and electric power in return for investments. The land is being provided from “land banks” created by acquiring land from farmers through KIADB, which effectively acts as an agent of the capital investors. This is nothing but land-grabbing that goes against the interests of farmers and national food security. Even water and electric power provided to these large industries is finally at the cost of farmers.
This land-grabbing is being strongly opposed by several groups in Karnataka but with limited success mainly because the farmers, dalits and others who are losing land are fragmented and scattered. Therefore, to organize opposition at the State level to land-grabbing and creation of land banks by Government of Karnataka, there has to be a meeting of minds, sharing of experiences and compiling of information. This meeting is organized to unify these fragmented and scattered interests under one banner, and enlarge it as a movement.
The participants had been requested to bring with them, details of land acquired by KIADB in their respective districts and of the on-going resistance to it. Over 25 speakers presented these details and conditions in their respective districts.
The meeting ended with a unanimous Resolution as follows:
RESOLUTION
The participants unanimously resolve to:
1. Form an organization that cuts across political and caste considerations, and named as Bhoomi Thayi Horata Samithi (this translates roughly to “Mother Land Action Committee”). It will begin functioning with an ad hoc action committee comprising 30 nominated members. This action committee will consult literateurs, artistes, legal experts, journalists and women's groups on how to strengthen and expand the movement.
2. Strongly condemn unrestrained land-grabbing by Government of Karnataka, since it is resulting in urbanization of farmers, making them destitute.
3. Strongly oppose creation of land banks by Government of Karnataka and demand their closure.
4. Demand that the recommendations of the Ramaswamy Committee Report, which identified 11 lakh acres for providing to farmers, be implemented.
5. Strongly oppose holding of Global Investors' Meets (GIMs), since they pauperize farmers.
6. Oppose the establishment of new capital-intensive, large industries, but encourage establishment of small-scale industries.
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