Land Acquisition  - Pejawar Seer Defers Hunger Strike

Bangalore, Feb 27 (DHNS) : Sri Vishveshatheertha Swamiji of Pejawar Mutt, following a request by the government, decided to defer his hunger protest against land acquisition for the special economic zone in Mangalore till the ongoing State legislature session is over. 

The Swamiji had announced that he would begin his strike from March 6 opposing large-scale agriculture land acquisition for the SEZ. He had been demanding that the government must not develop industries at the cost of farm land.

Home Minister V S Acharya and Major Industries Minister Murgesh Nirani on Friday met the Swamiji at Vidyapeetha in Bangalore to request him to give up his protest. The minister told the seer that the government has no intention of taking away fertile land from farmers.

When contacted by Deccan Herald, the Pejawar Swamiji said, “the ministers requested me to give them time till the legislature session concludes. They said that they cannot make any announcement till the session is over. I have reacted positively to the their request”. As per the present schedule, the legislature session will be held till March 26.

Asked whether the ministers have assured him of scaling down its land acquisition plan for the SEZ, the seer said, “I was given to understand that 2,500 acres of land is going to be acquired for the SEZ. But today the government said that it is already in possession of 1,800 acres for the SEZ and it requires another 750 acres. The ministers say they will hold a meeting after the session and explain the factual position”.

To a question whether he would be launching an agitation against the land acquistion for the BMICP too, he replied in the negative. He said, “I do not like to get caught in politics. All three parties have been involved in the decisions taken regarding the project. The original framework agreement should be followed.”