With the State government silent on the fate of the historic Kunigal Stud Farm, which is being proposed to be converted into an integrated township project, a protest has been called in Kunigal town on January 17 even as efforts are on to seek a legal recourse through public interest litigation (PIL) against the project.
While sporadic protests have taken place at Kunigal – around 70 kms from here – over the past month, a big protest is being planned next week. While the Opposition Janata Dal (Secular) and BJP leaders are actively involved in the protest, some Congress leaders have extended their support as well.
After the meeting between Animal Husbandry Minister K. Venkatesh, whose department currently controls the stud farm, and Urban Development Minister B.S. (Byrathi) Suresh to discuss the modalities of the township, the government has not publicly expressed the way forward. Meanwhile, the tender to identify the highest bidder to manage the stud farm has been cancelled, leaving the future of the farm at stake. Urban Development Department sources said that the proposal has not seen movement since it was also becoming a local issue ahead of the Lok Sabha elections.
