Farmers opposing SIR take out rally

Protesting farmers from about 44 villages today visited the state capital Gandhinagar to voice their opposition against the proposed special investment region (SIR) in Mandal-Becharaji region which also houses Maruti Suzuki India's (MSI's) new manufacturing plant.

In the absence of Narendra Modi, who was in New Delhi, the farmers met state revenue minister Anandi Patel and expressed their discontent over parting with their land for the SIR. They also gave a memorandum to Patel seeking withdrawal of SIR which is proposed over 50,000 hectare.

The memorandum also stated that farmers are unwilling to part with their fertile land for the proposed project. The SIR covers a Maruti car plant located at Hansalpur village on Viramgam-Becharaji highway and the Gujarat government plans to develop it as an auto and knowledge hub.

Over 7,000 farmers took out a tractor rally to Gandhinagar shouting slogans, claiming that they would not give an inch of land to government for the SIR. "We do not want development at this cost, we will not part with our land for the SIR," said one farmer in the rally.

"We are not going to give even an inch of our land to the government. We do not want development at cost of our land," said Dajubhai Chavda of Vinzuvada village.

Joining the protest was local MLA Tejashree Patel of the Congress who said that government wants to acquire farmer's fertile land for industrial development. "This is a fertile land where farmers grow three crops a year. The government first acquired their pasture land, their wasteland and now they want their fertile land," Patel said.

Among those supporting the farmers were former Gujarat finance minister Sanat Mehta, former BJP MLA Kanu Kalsariya, who spearheaded the agitation against Nirma's cement plant at Mahuva in Bhavnagar, former Planning Commission member Y K Alagh, besides social activists.

On Monday, talks between state ministers and farmers remained inconclusive.

Earlier on June 11, farmers from Mandal taluka had met state government officials at Dalod village to discuss the details of the development plan of the proposed SIR. However, talks remained inconclusive. Farmers had submitted an affidavit signed by close to 10,000 villagers of the region opposing the coming up of the SIR to Pankaj Patel, the chief executive officer (in-charge) of Mandal-Becharaji SIR at Gandhinagar later that day.

Farmers feel that the proposed SIR would have an adverse impact on the agriculture, animal husbandry and fodder.