‘Why is government with companies, and not us?’: At Gujarat protest, where farmers booked over burning of PM effigy

A dispute has erupted in Gujarat over the government's handling of power line projects affecting farmers. On September 17, 21 farmers were arrested for burning effigies of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah on the PM’s birthday. However, no further action has been taken despite the protests continuing.

More than 9,000 farmers staged a protest on Friday at Morbi Collectorate, demanding compensation from the government for land affected by planned transmission lines. Notices issued on September 23 asked landowners to appear before a Market Rate Committee to nominate their land's valuer, or the government would do it instead. The notices cover 765-kV and 800-kV transmission lines passing through farmers' fields.

Farmers argue the compensation formula is unfair, as it only covers 200% of the tower base area and 30% of the Right of Way corridor, failing to account for the full extent of their losses. They demand the power lines be routed through the sparsely populated Little Rann of Kutch or be built underground.

The protests have slowed work on laying the power lines, with several towers already erected while parts of the lines remain uninstalled. The case has been transferred to the Local Crime Branch of the Morbi police. Farmers claim not all 21 arrested were present at the effigy burning site, and some were unaware they were targeted.

Critics say the government is siding with the power companies, not the farmers, who have not received adequate compensation so far. One MLA claims farmers will receive three times the compensation under new resolutions. However, progress in the compensation process remains slow, with only 44 farmers paid out of 102 cases valuated.