BJP’s Umargam MLA threatens to resign in farmers support

Protesting Gujarat Government’s land acquisition process in Maroli and Kalgam villages against the wishes of local farmers, local BJP MLA from Umargam, Raman Patkar today showed his readiness to resign from his post if the issue is not settled in favor of farmers.

The Gujarat government has issued a notification to acquire 1600 hector land in Maroli and 700 hector land in Kalgam area recently. Similar notification had been issued in 1990s too, which was later canceled after massive protests.

According to local farmers, the land that the government intends to acquire for industrial purposes is fertile land, owned by small farmers. Local farmers were not consulted before issuing a notification.

On Sunday morning, group of farmers gathered at Kalgam’s Hanuman Mandir to discuss the notification. Local BJP MLA Raman Patkar was present at the meeting. Patkar said he was ready to take a leadership in this issue and he would resign from his post if the notification stays.