Describing how he was ‘wrongly projected’ as anti-North Karnataka for his passing remarks that retriggered the North Karnataka statehood demand, Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy devoted a considerable time during his visit here on Monday to shed this. During his address at Hyderabad Karnataka Liberation Day celebrations, his interaction with local leaders and also at the press conference, he continued to announce the government’s programmes for the development of Hyderabad Karnataka that falls under broader North Karnataka region to reassure his commitment to the development of the region.
He said he was in Kalaburagi to take part in the HK Liberation Day celebrations as assured despite nursing a viral fever. “Soon after the alliance government formed in the State, there were serious attempts to project me as anti-North Karnataka... I am very thankful to people and organisations of Hyderabad Karnataka who strongly opposed the North Karnataka statehood demand. Even after 70 years of Independence, Hyderabad Karnataka has remained backward. My government is committed to giving special importance to the region for fighting its backwardness... Some portion of the special grants have been released to the region [under Article 371(J) of the Constitution]. Public servants transferred to the region often refuse to work here. We will ensure this won’t happen any more. At the same time, we will have to appoint more locals to fill vacancies here,” he said.
On the demand to rename HK as Kalyana Karnataka, he said, it would be meaningful only when the region achieved some advancement in the path of development.
He said he would come back to Kalaburagi after a month to discuss HK-specific issues exclusively such as the implementation of Article 371(J) and problems of red gram growers. Earlier, he visited a drought-hit red-gram field in Choudapur village and expressed doubts over cloud seeding. “The red-gram crop was supposed to be 4 ft. high but is one or one-and-a-half foot due to poor rain. If we opt for cloud seeding at this advanced stage, I don’t think it would help. We will discuss with the experts and take a call,” he said.
