SURAT: About 400
farmers from different villages in
Surat district boycotted the
public hearing organised by the district collector regarding the acquisition of land for the
bullet train project after about 12 to 15 farmer leaders were detained by the police ahead of the meeting on Monday.
Sources said that the district collector had organised public hearing for the land acquisition by the state government for the
bullet train project in the district on Monday. The hearing was organised at the Gandhi Smruti bhavan under the chairmanship of district collector Dr Dhaval Patel.
Farmers from different villages in Olpaad taluka, Kamrej taluka, Palasana taluka and Choriyasi had gathered at Gandhi Smruti Bhavan under the aegis of the Gujarat Khedut Samaj (GKS) to oppose the bullet train project and demanding four times value for the farmers’ land to be acquired for the project by the state government on Monday.
Sources said that before the meeting could start, the city police detained farmers’ leaders including member of Surat district panchayat, Darshan Nayak, president of GKS, Jayesh Patel and other farmer leaders including Ramesh Patel, Anant Patel, Jashwant Patel etc. About 12 farmer leaders were detained by the Athwalines police from the Gandhi Smruti Bhavan at about 3 pm.
Talking to TOI, member of Surat district panchayat Darshan Nayak said, “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”
Talking to TOI, district collector Dr Dhaval Patel said, “The farmer leaders were arrested due to the law and order issue. However, the public hearing was conducted and we also tried to answer the issues raised by the farmers. There will be no rescheduling of the public hearing on bullet train project."
Farmers from different villages had gathered at Gandhi Smruti Bhavan under the aegis of the Gujarat Khedut Sam... Read More