Karnataka Farmers Face Eviction as 42,000 Acres Transferred to Forest Department

Bengaluru: The Congress -led Siddaramaiah government in Karnataka is once again in the spotlight for the forced eviction of farmers, this time in Srinivaspur Taluk, Kolar District. The crisis began in August 2023, when the Forest Department, supported by police and heavy machinery, began destroying standing crops and borewells on land cultivated by nearly 15,000 farmers for generations. Over one lakh mango trees were either cut or threatened, and farmers who tried to resist the destruction were reportedly attacked.

The situation escalated recently when more than 42,000 acres of this farmland were suddenly transferred from Revenue Department records to the Forest Department. Families who have been cultivating this land for over 150 years now face the threat of eviction, including entire villages with homes, schools, anganwadis, burial and cremation grounds, and religious sites. The Forest Department cites a 1910 land transfer by the Maharaja of Mysore for conservation purposes. However, farmers hold Revenue Department documents and sale deeds proving decades of continuous cultivation.

In response, an All India Kisan Sabha team visited the affected areas to meet with farmers and assess the damage. The delegation, which included General Secretary Vijoo Krishan, Vice-President S K Preeja, Joint Secretary Valsan Panoli, and Karnataka Prantha Raitha Sangha Joint Secretary Bharatraj, condemned the forced evictions and destruction of crops. They assured farmers of their full support in the ongoing struggle, calling for restoration of records, protection of livelihoods, and respect for land rights.