Union Minister for Heavy Industries and Steel H.D. Kumaraswamy has challenged Karnataka Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar to a public debate regarding the Bidadi Township Project near Bengaluru. Kumaraswamy emphasized that farmers are against the project and invited Shivakumar to discuss the matter openly. He criticized the project, alleging that it would only serve to benefit Shivakumar personally.
Kumaraswamy announced plans for legal action against the Bidadi Township project, highlighting the importance of the upcoming legal battle. He mentioned the formation of a legal team to thoroughly examine all aspects of the issue before approaching the court with relevant documents within the next few days. The Minister also expressed skepticism about Congress leaders’ confidence in returning to power in 2028.
Referring to the origins of the township proposal during his tenure as Chief Minister, Kumaraswamy clarified that while he had granted preliminary approval for five township projects, they had not progressed beyond the initial stages. He detailed the timeline of events related to the proposed Bengaluru Integrated Township and emphasized the opposition from Congress leaders regarding large-scale land acquisition for the project in 2007.
Kumaraswamy further explained the project’s connection to the Special Economic Zones (SEZ) policy introduced in 2005, highlighting the objections raised by Congress leaders at the time. He maintained that despite having the opportunity to pursue the project upon becoming Chief Minister again in 2018, he chose not to do so. The Minister raised concerns about the classification of certain areas as ‘red zones’ and criticized the compensation package offered by the government for land acquisition.
