Citizens’ Research Collective on SEZ

Mangalore, January 29, 2008: The Bahujan Samaj Party, Samajwadi Party and the Communist Party of India have extended support to the farmer’s agitation against the Mangalore Special Economic Zone project. However the Congress, Bharatiya Janata Party and the Janata Dal (Secular) have expressed their inability to join the movement as their party high commands were yet take a decision.

The representatives of various political parties made these statements on a common platform at the anti-MSEZ farmers’ rally here on Tuesday. They participated in the rally at the behest of some farmers’ organisations which had demanded a clear statement by major political parties on their stand on the Rs. 35,000-crore MSEZ project.

President of District Congress Women’s Wing Mamatha Gatti, district unit president of the BJP Monappa Bhadari, zilla panchayat president K.P Sucharitha Shetty of Janata Dal (S), Shashidhar Jokatte of BSP, Chengappa of Samajwadi Party and CPI’s State organising secretary B.K Krishnappa participated in the rally.

It was organised by nearly 100 organisations, including the Nagarika Seva Trust (NST) and the Krishi Bhoomi Samrakshana Samiti (KBSS).

Lawrence D’Cunha, convenor of KBSS told The Hindu that unlike other rallies, the people who participated in the event had contributed money to participate in the rally. A delegation fee of Rs. 10 was collected from 6,000 participants for providing transport facilities and food for them, he said.

The farmers demanded that their lands which had been notified for the project should be immediately de-notified and sought special packages to preserve the region’s agriculture and environment.

The protesters urged the Government to take into consideration the five reports which had been brought out by it on the carrying capacity of the region before passing the SEZ.

Source: The Hindu