No action without consent: Modi assures farmers over SIR

Forms committee comprising four key ministers to talk to villagers

Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi on Thursday assured the agitating farmers from the proposed Mandal-Bechraji special investment region (SIR) that his government will not take any further action without their consent and addressing their concerns.

Modi further said that state government has constituted a committee of four ministers who will do consultations with the villagers to find an amicable solution to the issue. The committee, comprising Saurabh Patel, minister for energy and petrochemicals, Nitin Patel, finance minister, Anandiben Patel, revenue minister and Bhupendrabhai Chudasama, education and law minister, is expected to take a decision by August 15, after evaluating the technical aspects of the SIR and taking the farmers' sentiments and concerns into consideration, an official statement said.

Over 100 farmers from the Mandal-Becharaji belt met Modi today to express their views on the proposed SIR comprising 44 villages across three districts and spread over 50,000 hecatre area.

"The government is open for talks with the villagers on the SIR issue. We have constituted a high-power committee comprising four top ministers to consult with the farmers on the SIR," Modi told the farmers.

The chief minister also assured the farmers that the state government is as much committed to farmers' sentiments as it is for the growth of agriculture and industrial development. "No action will be taken on the SIR issue without the consent of farmers. The government is committed take into consideration sentiments expressed by the farmers," Modi further assured.

In order to bring a proper and amicable solution to the issue, the committee of four cabinet ministers will deliberate with the four representatives from 44 villages along with Kisan Sangh leaders, the state government said in a statement.

Saurabh Patel, energy and petrochemicals minister, clarified, "There were some misunderstandings amongst the farmers about the proposed SIR. In today's meeting, the misunderstandings have been cleared. Chief minister has assured farmers that if they wish to carry on with agriculture they are free to do so. The government's policy on land acquisition is very clear, that there would be no acquisition without consent."

He further alleged that the entire issue has been politicised by parties with vested interest, and the farmers have been made to believe that around 40 per cent of their land would be taken away for the SIR.

Patel, however, claimed that the proposed SIR has not been cancelled.

Earlier on June 18 close to 5,000 farmers from 44 villages in the Mandal-Becharaji region had taken out a tractor rally to Gandhinagar opposing the government's decision to develop an SIR in the area. On Thursday, around 100 villagers had gone to meet the CM, Ramabha Solanki, village chief of Vithlapur claimed.