Summary:
AHMEDABAD: As many as 1,000 farmers filed affidavits in Gujarat high court on Tuesday objecting to the government’s bid to acquire land for the ambitious bullet train project and declaring that they do not want to give away their land.The farmers, whose land falls on the route charted out for Mumbai Ahmedabad High Speed Rail project, filed the affidavits to support five petitions filed by land owners from south Gujarat. Their advocate Anand Yagnik said that the 1,000 farmers have also written to the Japan government and sought personal audience with the ambassador. They have also registered their objection with JICA and requested it to stop finance for the project.Meanwhile, the chief justice gave ultimatum to the Centre for filing its reply to the farmers’ petitions by September 26. The HC was irked with the Centre’s delay in filing its reply and warned that if it failed to reply in time, the HC would admit the petitions. These petitions have challenged the Gujarat government’s powers to issue a notification for land acquisition In these affidavits, each of 1,000 farmer, who are likely to be affected by the bullet train project, has said, “I do not want my land to be acquired and do not want the bullet train (Mumbai Ahmedabad High Speed Rail) project.”Registering opposition to the acquisition, the farmers have claimed that the land is being acquired without following the law of the land as well as the Guidelines for Confirmation of Environmental and Social Consideration of Japan Bank.The farmers have also objected to non-revision of jantri rates..