Archive · 10 Aug 2026
JD(S) calls off Bidadi padayatra, announces August 18 mega protest
Farmers in India and a political party called JD(S) are upset because the government wants to take farmland to build a big new city called an 'AI-powered township.'
To show they were upset, they started a long walking protest called a padayatra.
The walk was planned to last three days and cover about 38 kilometres.
But the police stopped the walkers on the second day, so the party decided to end the march.
The party leaders said they stopped peacefully because they did not want any trouble.
They reminded everyone that farmers have been protesting for more than 500 days, which is more than a year.
Instead of marching, they will hold a big protest meeting at Freedom Park in Bengaluru on August 18.
A former Prime Minister of India named H D Deve Gowda will take part in that meeting.
The government has also set up a committee led by a retired judge to look into people's concerns about the project.
JD(S) called off its three-day padayatra against land acquisition for the GBIT project after police stopped the march near Kaniminike on Monday.
The party has announced a mega protest at Freedom Park in Bengaluru on August 18, to be led by former Prime Minister H D Deve Gowda.
The march, led by JD(S) youth wing president Nikhil Kumaraswamy and flagged off by Union Minister H D Kumaraswamy, was expected to cover about 38 km.
Farmers have been protesting for more than 500 days against the acquisition of agricultural land across seven villages for the Greater Bengaluru Integrated Township project.
There was pushing and shoving between protesters and police when barricades blocked the march on the Bengaluru–Mysuru highway.
The government has issued two sets of final notifications to acquire over 5,400 acres for the GBIT project and formed a committee headed by retired judge Justice Guhanathan Narendar.
- Who
- JD(S) leaders Nikhil Kumaraswamy, H D Deve Gowda and H D Kumaraswamy, along with farmers and BJP ally R Ashoka; Karnataka police stopped the march.
- What
- A three-day protest march against agricultural land acquisition for the GBIT project near Bidadi was called off after police stopped it; JD(S) announced a mega protest on August 18.
- When
- August 10 (Monday), the second day of the march.
- Where
- Stopped near the Kaniminike toll plaza on the Bengaluru–Mysuru highway in Bengaluru South district; the march was headed to Freedom Park, Bengaluru.
- Why
- To protest the government's acquisition of agricultural land for the proposed Greater Bengaluru Integrated Township (GBIT) project.
JD(S), farmers and BJP
Karnataka government
Stopping the padayatra
JD(S), farmers and BJP
JD(S) leaders say the government exerted pressure on police to stop a peaceful protest and that the march would not have been necessary if farmers' concerns had been addressed; the Chief Minister will have to respond to the August 18 protest.
Karnataka government
Police physically stopped the march by placing barricades and stopping marchers near Kaniminike, while the government has constituted a high-level committee headed by retired judge Justice Guhanathan Narendar to review opinions on the project.
GBIT land acquisition
JD(S), farmers and BJP
JD(S), backed by BJP, and farmers oppose the acquisition of agricultural land around Bidadi; farmers have been protesting for more than 500 days because their concerns were ignored.
Karnataka government
The government has issued two sets of final notifications to acquire over 5,400 acres across seven villages for the GBIT project, which is projected as India's 'first AI-powered integrated township.'
- Protesting party
- JD(S), with alliance partner BJP support
- March leader
- JD(S) youth wing president Nikhil Kumaraswamy
- March called off
- Monday, August 10, after police stopped marchers near Kaniminike toll plaza
- Planned route
- Byramangala to Freedom Park, Bengaluru — about 38 km
- Next protest
- August 18 at Freedom Park, Bengaluru, led by H D Deve Gowda
- Land acquisition
- Over 5,400 acres across seven villages; up to 9,600 acres needed for full project
- Farmers' protest
- Ongoing for more than 500 days
- Government review body
- High-level committee headed by retired judge Justice Guhanathan Narendar