The demand for a separate statehood for North Karnataka made by the Congress Member of Legislative Assembly A S Patil Nadahalli has embarrassed the ruling party in the state. Patil's reaction, has left Chief Minister Siddaramaiah fuming and the Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee slapping a show cause notice to Patil.
Nadahalli is an MLA from Devarahipparagi in Vijayapura district. He had last week, on the eve of chief minister's visit to Vijayapura to inaugurate the irrigation schemes at Tikota, alleged that there had been discrimination in providing funds for irrigation and other projects for North Karnataka by the successive governments including the current one. He had threatened to launch an agitation if justice was not assured to the region and raised the demand for a separate statehood.
The outburst is attributed to his differences with Water Resources Minister M B Patil, who is from the same district.
Nadahalli was also upset that the evacuees from Almatti dam in Vijayapura district, who had migrated to Baina beach in Goa to work as casual labourers, were being evacuated by the Goa government and Karnataka was doing nothing to help them.
BJP leader and former minister from Belagavi Umesh Katti, had also made similar demands and stirred a hornet's nest. Though the party leaders tend to dismiss such demands as politically motivated, there are many others who support the idea, including through social media.
Veteran Patil Puttappa is fuming over the demand and has even urged for deportation of anyone making such demands.
He said Kannada-speaking areas were unified into Karnataka after prolonged struggle and sacrifice by eminent people and dividing the state would be a betrayal.
Neglect against North Karnataka districts for allocation of funds for development works and sanctioning projects had caused a lot of heartburn among the people. People had to always rely on agitations to get things done, including irrigation projects, high court Bench, south-western Railway zone head quarter, government schools and colleges, engineering and medical colleges, roads, drinking water, health services and transport facilities, among others,
"The implementation of Nanjunadappa Committee's (set up to redress regional imbalances in the state) recommendations is much left to be desired," said B D Hiremath, who had spearheaded a prolonged agitation for the establishment of the high court Bench in Dharwad. He had raised the demand for a separate statehood for North Karnataka way back in 2000 and had also dared to hoist the North Karnataka flag.
"The fact is that nobody really wants Karnataka to be divided. It is the utter neglect against the North Karnataka districts by the successive state governments over the years that makes the people raise the demand. The individuals at the helm should realise the sentiments of the people and ensure a fair deal for the region. If the authorities take things lightly, then the spark may turn into a fire. It should not be allowed to happen," said freedom fighter S H Joshi.
