Political opposition to the project began in late 2003, just prior to the 2004 polls, when an-out-of power Deve Gowda began accusing NICE of using project land to carry on a real estate business in association with ruling Congress leaders. Deve Gowda alleged that land in excess of requirement was acquired by NICE for the first phase of the project.

When Deve Gowda surprisingly returned to power in association with the Congress in 2004, the Karnataka government began piling up the agony for the BMIC project. First, the Karnataka government turned against NICE in the high court. In the middle of an appeal against a single judge’s order to reduce land for the project by 40 per cent, a Deve Gowda inspired government began accusing NICE of fraud, saying that land was indeed acquired in excess.

This turn of the government did not stand the scrutiny of both the High Court and the Supreme Court. The government and Deve Gowda have drawn flak from the courts for the sudden change in stand. Now, with Deve Gowda’s confident, young son Kumaraswamy at the helm of the state’s affairs, an attempt is being made to take over the entire BMIC project through legislation.

Kumaraswamy argues that the J.H. Patel government and the S.M. Krishna government gave far too much control over the key Bangalore-Mysore economic region (where he himself owns land) to NICE and that it is time to wrest back control. “We are not opposed to the project. We want to take back excess land and auction it to create a state infrastructure fund and to compensate farmers feeling cheated by the project,” says Kumaraswamy. “The government has no control over the project area even if it wants to put up a housing project for the poor,” he says.

... contd.