Farmers rally against Gujarat's plans to develop Mandal SIR

Nearly 5,000 farmers took out a tractor rally today from Vitthalpur crossroads near Viramgam to Gandhinagar protesting against the Gujarat government's decision to develop Mandal-Becharaji as Special Investment Region (SIR), which also houses Maruti Suzuki India's (MSI) proposed plant.
"They took out a peaceful tractor rally from Vitthalpur in Ahmedabad to Gandhinagar," Ahmedabad (Rural) Superintendent of Police Gagandeep Gambhir told PTI.
Farmers from 44 villages, mainly hail from Mandal, Viramgam and Becharaji talukas of Ahmedabad and Mehsana districts.
Driving more than 500 tractors, they were accompanied by rally organisers in 100 cars and as many motorcycles.
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.

After culminating the rally in the state capital, the farmers submitted a memorandum to Gujarat Revenue Minister Anandi Patel seeking cancellation of the notification to develop Mandal-Becharaji as a Special Investment Region.

"We have stated in our memorandum that the Gujarat state government should cancel its notification to develop Mandal-Becharaji as a Special Investment Region," Convener of the Jameen Adhikar Andolan Gujarat (JAAG) Sagar Rabari said.
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.

On May 25 this year, villagers had organised a rally condemning the Gujarat state government's plan to convert fertile, cultivable land into an SIR.