Sending a strong political message to those seeking statehood for north Karnataka, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Friday said, “Come what may, Karnataka will have to remain unified.”
Replying to a three-day debate in the Legislative Assembly on the issues related to development of north Karnataka, the Chief Minister observed that creating a separate State was not a solution to the backwardness of north Karnataka. “We can achieve development only by staying together,” he said, and sought to remind people that a large number of visionaries had worked hard to form the State of Karnataka by reorganising the Kannada-speaking areas.
Katti snubbedThe Chief Minister trained his guns on sugar baron and Opposition Bharatiya Janata Party member Umesh Katti, who had created a controversy by demanding statehood for north Karnataka.
“Mr. Katti, you were a Minister for a long time. But you never spoke of a separate State when you were in power. It is surprising that you are making such a demand now,” the Chief Minister said, while questioning his intentions behind making such a demand. He advised him to desist from making such a demand again.
Speaker Kagodu Thimmappa too snubbed Mr. Katti later when he complained of lack of industrialisation in north Karnataka. “Why don’t you set up an industry in north Karnataka? After all you are a businessman hailing from this region,” the Speaker said.
