Former minister, Rakesh Tikait to protest land acquisition for Varanasi-Kolkata Expressway in Kaimur

Former minister Sudhakar Singh and farmer leader Rakesh Tikait will lead the protest against the proposed land acquisition for the Varanasi-Kolkata Expressway and address two rallies on February 25 and 26 in Bihar's Kaimur.

Singh has been in the news for his criticism of Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's agriculture policy. His Rashtriya Janata Dal, a key component of Bihar's ruling alliance, distanced itself from Singh's remarks about Kumar. Tikait was an important face of the agitation that forced the repeal of three federal farm bills in 2021.

The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has proposed a 610 km managed expressway connecting Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh and Kolkata (West Bengal) via Ranchi in Jharkhand. It is proposed to cover a 54 km stretch in Bihar and is expected to be completed by 2026.

The state government last year conducted a survey to assess land categories for compensation to farmers for the purchase of land on the expressway. Local farmers formed the Kisan Sangharsh Morcha, alleging that homestead, commercial and cost land was wrongly registered as agricultural land. They argued that the proposed compensation is less than 20% of marketable land, even in the case of agricultural land.

Singh is organizing a meeting and calling on farmers to join rallies against the proposed compensation on February 25 and 26. Singh, who addressed the meeting on Wednesday, said the Central Land Acquisition Act passed in 2013 provides for compensation of four times the market value. “But in 2017, they changed it to four times the circular value to make it easier for industrialists and corporations.

Singh said the farmers' demands were justified. "A service road will not be built along the expressway, and there will be a crossing every five km. The remaining land of the farmers will thus become unusable and farming will not be possible. Some farmers become landless...[they have] no other alternative for their livelihood.”

Singh said he is a born farmer and anyone including Tikait who supports them is welcome.