‘Silence is not neutrality, speak up’: Karnataka activists and intellectuals write open letter to industry and tech leaders

Urging industry and technology leaders to stand with the farmers of Devanahalli, as many as 30 scholars, scientists, and public-policy experts from Karnataka have asked them to speak out on the protracted land conflict and displacement of the farming community in the region.

In an open letter dated July 1, 2025, the signatories including Ramachandra Guha, Sabiha Bhoomigowda, Chandan Gowda, Janaki Nair among others, demanded that business leaders raise their voice for “a fairer, more balanced development paradigm” and use their leadership “for conscience, equity, and a just future.”

Farmers from 13 villages in Devanahalli taluk have been engaged in protest for over 1,180 days against the Karnataka Industrial Areas Development Board’s (KIADB) plan to acquire 1,777 acres of fertile farmland for a proposed Defence and Aerospace Park.

Legitimacy of the land acquisition process

Echoing the concerns of Devanahalli’s farmers and residents related to loss of livelihood as well as a “fair and timely” compensation, the letter said that the protest raises urgent questions about the direction of Karnataka’s development strategy.

The scholars and scientists flagged the legitimacy of the land acquisition process, pointing to KIADB’s 2022 survey that showed that over 80% of farmers were unwilling to part with their land as well as an earlier CAG Performance Audit Report (No. 8 of 2017), which had exposed serious irregularities in KIADB’s land acquisition and allotment processes.

Using nan-arable land for industries

“KIADB already holds significant surplus, unutilised land across Karnataka that could accommodate such industrial ventures. The persistent focus on acquiring fertile farmland in Devanahalli, despite these alternatives, raises serious concerns about opaque land transactions and possible collusion between speculative interests and elements within the ruling establishment,” the letter said.

“We also ask that you protect food security by opposing the diversion of fertile arable land to industrial use and by insisting that industrial corridors be confined to non-arable land unfit for farming,” it added.

Economic success vs ethical leadership

Coming days ahead of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s scheduled meeting with farmer representatives and stakeholders on July 4, the letter appealed to industry leaders to seek from the State government a thorough review of the Devanahalli acquisition and support a broader public dialogue on Karnataka’s land-acquisition policy.

“Today, your responsibility extends beyond economic success to ethical leadership and the pursuit of inclusive development. In this moment, silence is not neutrality—it is impact,” the open letter noted.