BELAGAVI/BENGALURU:Anger against the Kumaraswamy government seems to be building in North Karnataka. On Tuesday, over 100 seers and their supporters will stage a protest outside Suvarna Soudha in Belagavi. Some organisations are even planning to hoist a separate North Karnataka flag during the protest.
The call for Thursday’s North Karnataka bandh by little known Hubballi-based Uttara Karnataka Pratyeka Rajya Horata Samiti too is gaining traction. Many organisations in the region are backing the bandh call, while those in Hyderabad-Karnataka have decided to oppose it.
“We will not stop until the government changes its stance on the development of North Karnataka,” said Bheemappa Gadad, president, Uttara Karnataka Pratyeka Rajya Horata Samiti, based in Belagavi. Gadad is ready with the flag. He will hoist it in front of Suvarna Soudha after getting a nod from the seers.
Gadad challenged the government to furnish records of the funds released by all governments in North and South Karnataka. South Karnataka got the major share of funds in all the sectors and due to lack of political will among leaders of North Karnataka, the successive governments in the state deprived the region of its dues, he said.
BJP state president B S Yeddyurappa accused Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy and JD(S) supremo H D Deve Gowda of conspiring to divide Karnataka to strengthen JD(S) and retain power. “Kumaraswamy has meted out step-motherly treatment to the people of North Karnataka by asking them whether they have voted for him. He has not only exhibited arrogance but has also violated the Constitution,” Yeddyurappa said.He is rushing to Belagavi on Tuesday to meet the protesters and dissuade them.
DON’T FAN FIRE,CM TELLS MEDIA
Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy on Monday accused the media of stoking the fire for a separate North Karnataka state. He said the media was quoting him out of context and if anything went wrong, it would be held responsible.”People (in North Karnataka) are not demanding a separate state. They are with the government. You (media) are creating it,” he said. “There have been discussions that Kumaraswamy is the CM of four districts. Is it a big mistake to allot `516 cr to four to five districts out of the budget outlay of `2.2 lakh crore?”