Manipal : Former Chief Minister Jagadish Shettar threatened that BJP will launch State wide protest, if the government fail to withdraw affidavit submitted through Advocate General and Revenue Secretary in connection with the acquisition of illegal encroachments of revenue and forest land to the High Court.

He was speaking after addressing the protest organized in front of the Udupi DC office on Sep 30 Tuesday. Shettar also said that in the affidavit, the government has mentioned that nearly 4.5 lakh acre revenue land and 2.5 lakh acres of forest land used as ‘Bagar Hukum’ (without orders) land would be acquired in the State.

Former CM also said that ministers and the district in charge ministers pretend to be innocent and ignorant over the land acquisition issue. At present the poor and underprivileged residing in the government revenue land and forest land since many years have the right over the land.

The government has no right to evacuate the land from the poor who are into farming in the land for long. Instead government must come forward to regularize the land documents and an offer title deed to the land encroaches, he said.

Udupi-Chikmagalur MP Shobha Karandlaje said that state government lacks concern for the females resulting, in an increasing number of sexual assault cases the in State.