RSS-affiliated farmers' union Bharatiya Kisan Sangh (BKS) today said it wants farmers to be united against the Gujarat government developing the proposed Mandal-Becharaji Special Investment Region, which also houses Maruti Suzuki India's car plant, as an auto and knowledge hub.
"We don't want to launch a full fledged agitation against state government unless 75 per cent of farmers, of the proposed SIR, agree not to give away their land. We want them to get united and then we will be ready to take up their fight," BKS national general secretary Prabhakar Kelkar told reporters here.
He was talking about BKS's planned 'Kisan Adhikar Rally' on September 13 at Ramlila Maidan in New Delhi against the alleged anti-farmer policies of the central government.
Farmers from 44 villages of Ahmedabad and Mehsana districts are against the Gujarat government's plan to convert fertile and cultivable land into an SIR in the Mandal- Becharaji belt in Northern Gujarat.
The SIR also covers Maruti Suzuki India's car plant at Hansalpur village, located on the Viramgam-Becharaji highway.
Earlier in June, BKS's Gujarat chapter had passed a resolution protesting the land acquisition process started by the Gujarat government to develop the SIR.
"Many farmers are ready to give away their lands and others who are against SIR, have approached some political leaders to take up their cause. We don't align with any political party. Hence, if 75 per cent of farmers are not ready to fight under our leadership, our organisation will refrain from it," Kelkar said.
Earlier today, BKS's Gujarat chapter held a convention in Gandhinagar to appraise its state office bearers and workers about the September rally against the central government's alleged anti-farmer policies.
"115 representatives of our taluka-level units and more then 1,000 workers participated in the state convention," BKS State General Secretary Manibhai Patel said.
