The farmers’ agitation against the Vadodara district administration and the Vadodara Urban Development Authority (VUDA) is gaining momentum.

On Monday, about 2,000 farmers from more than 100 villages took out a massive tractor rally to show their dissent against the various decisions of the administration.

Among the farmers’ demands are the price revision of the land acquired by the government under the Town Planning schemes. They have also asked the authorities the reason for the absence of development in the area despite the inclusion of the villages in the TP schemes.

Hasmukh Bhatt, president of the Vadodara Shaheri Sankulan Khedut Mandal, said: “We have been at the receiving end for the last 26 years. They (authorities) have been acquiring land in the name of development but the farmers have hardly received any financial or development returns from VUDA or the district administration.”

Bhatt added: “Now we are not in a mood to give up on this issue and will continue our agitation until our voices are heard by the people in Gandhinagar.”

The farmers, who were joined by their family members, took out the rally from the villages on the outskirts of Vadodara.

Bhatt said: “Though we have a large number of aggressive members from different villages, we will not take law into our hands and will continue our agitation peacefully.”

After submitting a memorandum at the Vadodara Urban Development Authority office, Bhatt said, “We will hoist black flags at the village panchayat offices on November 10 and November 17. We will also stop the talatis from performing their duties.”

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