The High-Speed Rail Project between Ahmedabad and Mumbai—one of the pet projects of Prime Minister Narendra Modi—has suffered a temporary hurdle. Following farmers' protests, Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), the Japanese funding agency, has reportedly refused to release instalments till the government settles the issues.
The JICA move comes as a victory for the farmers who have been fighting for their rights. According to reports, the PMO has also formed a committee to look into the issue after JICA held back the instalment.
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According to Jayesh Patel, president of farmers' outfit Gujarat Khedut Samaj, the fact that a committee has been formed to look into the issue means that the land acquisition rules were not followed. “Had the government followed it, there was no need to set up a committee,” Patel told THE WEEK.
Recently, about 1,000 farmers had approached the Gujarat High Court challenging the land acquisition for the project. Patel, along with the farmers' lawyer Anand Yagnik, had also sought a meeting with JICA chairman and Japan's ambassador to India.
Patel claimed that multi-crop farms of about 3,600 farmers from Gujarat and Maharashtra are being acquired for the project. Of this, about 2,200 farmers are from Gujarat. He said they would continue to protest till their demands are met.
Among other issues, the farmers have raised the issue of social impact assessment and food security.
