‘I May Be Old, But My Mind Has Not Aged’: Why Former PM H.D. Deve Gowda Vowed to Fight Bidadi Township Land Acquisition
Bidadi/Bengaluru: Former Prime Minister H.D. Deve Gowda on Monday vowed to continue fighting for farmers opposing land acquisition for the Bidadi Township project, declaring that while age may have caught up with him, his mind and determination to struggle had not weakened.
Addressing the BJP-JD(S) padayatra against the Congress government’s Bidadi Township project, Deve Gowda said no one should dismiss him merely because of his age and asserted that he still had the mental strength and resolve to fight for farmers.
“I have said one thing: no one should dismiss me saying that I have grown old. My mind has not aged. My mind is still sharp. Therefore, I still have the courage and strength to fight. I will always continue to fight for you,” Deve Gowda told the gathering.
His remarks came as he expressed support for farmers opposing acquisition of their land for the township project. Referring to Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar’s statement that there would be no forcible land acquisition, Deve Gowda said those who had gathered for the protest were there because of concerns over the impact on farmers.
He said party leaders, legislators, Legislative Council members and others had joined the programme to make it clear that they would not allow injustice to be done to farmers over their land.
Deve Gowda also invoked Union Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy while assuring the gathering that there would be no compromise if farmers faced injustice in the matter.
The former Prime Minister urged farmers and supporters to participate in large numbers in a major meeting planned at Freedom Park on August 19. He said he too would attend the meeting.
Calling on the protesters not to be intimidated, Deve Gowda asked them to be mentally prepared even to face arrest and imprisonment in the course of the agitation, but not to surrender their land.
“Do not be afraid. Whoever threatens to arrest you, be mentally prepared even to go to jail. But do not give up your land,” he said.
Deve Gowda stressed the value of agricultural land, saying it had become more precious than gold and could not easily be recovered once lost. Whether a farmer owned five guntas or 10 guntas, the land provided a means of livelihood, he said.
He appealed to farmers, women and senior citizens to remain united in what he described as a peaceful struggle to protect their land.
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