Farmers protest at BDA against ‘hefty bribe demand’

BENGALURU: A group of farmers, who had surrendered their land to the Bangalore Development Authority for the formation of the Kempe Gowda Layout, tried to enter the BDA premises on Friday alleging that officials of the land acquisition section had demanded hefty bribes from them.With the BDA recently changing rules to ensure that no one enters its offices without prior appointment due to Covid-19 restrictions, most of the farmers were not allowed entry. A witness said, “A few of them managed to go inside. The rest were standing outside the gate and shouting that huge bribes were being demanded and that it must end.” 

The farmers were upset with the Deputy Commissioner (Land Acquisition) in particular and threatened to lock him up, said a BDA source. “For a job which officials demanded Rs 20,000, they are now asking for Rs 5 lakh,” a source alleged. Neither the BDA Commissioner, DC, Secretary, the Superintendent of the BDA Task Force nor the Public Relations Officer of the BDA responded to repeated calls from this reporter.