Bengaluru: On a day FIR was lodged against 15 protesters, including five women, for causing public inconvenience by blocking roads over Bidadi township project, chief minister DK Shivakumar and Union minister HD Kumaraswamy opened a new flank in battle over the controversial township.Bidadi police said they have not arrested protesters and added that notices would be served to them for protesting without permission before taking action.The CM claimed there was no ‘prestige’ involved in the project and took a dig at Kumaraswamy saying he is continuing the project from where the two-time former CM had left.On arrests, the CM said no one should inconvenience the public. “I’m reiterating that those who do not want to sell their land need not sell. I do not need their land for the project. Why are they protesting? By blocking roads, they are creating problems for their own people,” he said.JD(S) said it would stand with ‘true’ farmers of Bidadi and will not shy away from a fight. “For five days, the government allowed protesters to hold fast unto death on the same road. Who gave the permission? On whose orders was the FIR lodged today,” asked Kumaraswamy.The police complaint said farmers had been protesting at Byramangala Circle for 18 months over proposed acquisition of land in areas under Byramangala and Kanchugaranahalli gram panchayats for township. They have been demanding action against a high-level committee announced by the govt to examine their concerns.The latest protest and indefinite hunger strike began on Sept 21. Police alleged several protesters, without prior permission, blocked the Bidadi-Harohalli main road (SH-265), an important route serving the industrial area, from 10am on Sept 21 to Sept 25.The protesters allegedly placed chairs on the road, sat and lay on the carriageway, parked tractors and bullock carts across the road, and tethered cattle there, disrupting the movement of motorists, schoolchildren, employees and goods vehicles.
