BELAGAVI: The demand for a separate state of North Karnataka has surfaced once again, with a surprising catalyst — a legislator from the ruling Congress.
In a move that may put the state’s political establishment in an awkward position, Kagwad MLA Raju Kage has directly petitioned President Droupadi Murmu, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, accusing the government of “step-motherly treatment” and systemic injustice in the development of the state’s northern districts. He has formally demanded the creation of a separate North Karnataka state, comprising 15 districts, to address what he called decades of perceived neglect.
Meanwhile, the Uttara Karnataka Horata Samiti, emboldened by Kage’s stand, has issued a stark warning — if their demands are not met in the upcoming Belagavi winter session, they are prepared to hoist a separate flag for North Karnataka atop the Suvarna Vidhana Soudha, the very symbol of the state’s legislative power in the region.
MLA Kage is not a new voice in this fight. He is carrying forward the legacy of his late mentor, former minister Umesh Katti, a fiery and persistent advocate for statehood.
“The districts of North Karnataka are continuously discriminated against in matters of development. This cannot be tolerated,” Kage said. “I will raise this issue in the winter session and force the government to take notice,” he added.
Katti had long argued that Karnataka, with its large population, was administratively unwieldy. “Splitting Karnataka is inevitable. Smaller states are the future. One day, India will have 50 states,” he had said.
A headache for SIddaramaiah government
The re-emergence of this contentious issue from within its own ranks presents a major political headache for the Congress government led by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah. That a sitting Congress MLA is now championing a cause previously associated with a BJP leader like Katti underscores the cross-party, deep-seated nature of the regional discontent.
All signs now point to the Belagavi session becoming a flashpoint. With Kage’s letter providing a fresh spark and activist groups ready for confrontation, the government faces a critical test of its ability to manage the separate statehood movement.