Sources said the district collector had organized the public hearing for the land acquisition by the state government for the bullet train project in the district. The hearing was organized at Gandhi Smruti Bhavan under the chairmanship of district collector Dr Dhaval Patel.
Farmers from different villages in Olpad taluka, Kamrej taluka, Palasana taluka and Choriyasi had gathered at Gandhi Smruti Bhavan under the aegis of Gujarat Khedut Samaj (GKS) to oppose the bullet train project while demanding four times the value of land to be acquired for the project by the state government.
Sources said before the meeting could start, city police detained member of Surat district panchayat Darshan Nayak, president of GKS Jayesh Patel and other farmer leaders including Ramesh Patel, Anant Patel, Jashwant Patel, etc. At least 15 farmer leaders were detained by Athwalines police from Gandhi Smruti Bhavan at about 3pm.
Darshan Nayak told TOI, “We had received official invitation from the district collector to attend the public hearing on the bullet train project. Hence, about 400 farmers from various villages in Surat district had gathered at Gandhi Smruti Bhavan. Before the meeting could start the police detained us. The farmers became angry and they boycotted the public hearing.”
Nayak added, “We condemn the action taken by the city police. We have asked the district collector to reschedule the public hearing so that we can represent the issues faced by the farmers. We have demanded that the farmers who are losing their land should be given four times the value of the land than the prevailing market rates. If this is not accepted, we will launch an agitation against the state government and the bullet train project.”
District collector Dr Dhaval Patel told TOI, “The farmer leaders were arrested due to law and order issue. However, the public hearing was conducted and we also tried to answer the issues raised by farmers. There will be no rescheduling of the public hearing on the bullet train project.”
by via Surat News, Latest Surat News Headlines & Live Updates - Times of India
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