The issue of the merger of the northern part of Kasaragod district in Kerala with Karnataka has resurfaced with Siddalingaiah, former chairman of the Kannada Development Authority, raising a demand on Sunday. In his valedictory address at Alva’s Nudisiri, a literary and cultural convention which concluded at Moodbidri on Sunday, Mr. Siddalingaiah, president of the convention, said the government should implement the recommendation of the Justice Mahajan Commission.
The commission in 1968 had recommended bifurcation and merger of the northern part of Kasaragod district (to the north of the Chandragiri) with Karnataka. The Union government had appointed the commission after agitations by pro-Kannada organisations in Kasaragod district reached their peak.
Mr. Siddalingaiah said the Karnataka government should extend all support to Kannadigas in Kasaragod district to realise their dream. The pro-Kannada organisations had been arguing that the northern part of Kasaragod was dominated by Kannada, Tulu and Konkani-speaking people. It was once part of Tulu Nadu with Mangaluru as its headquarters and the jurisdiction of Tulu Nadu spread up to Neeleshwar in Kerala. Kannada poet Kayyara Kinhanna Rai founded Kasaragod Vileenekarana Kriya Samithi to fight for the cause.
According to the samiti, the first official resolution demanding the bifurcation of Kasaragod district was moved and passed in the Kasaragod Municipal Council in 1956, then headed by Ramanna Rai.
Mr. Siddalingaih said that the Karnataka government stayed the implementation of the provisions of the law imposing fine on those who failed to display name boards in Kannada, eight years ago.
The government could have fined Rs. 10,000 for first-time offenders and Rs. 20,000 for subsequent violations. A private company had moved the court. But, he alleged, the State government had not made any effort to convince the court to vacate the stay. Now the government should do it, he said.
