IIT or separate statehood: Prabhakar Kore’s demand in vain

The non-inclusion of Belagavi in the list of places in Karnataka for establishment of Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) has come as a big disappointment to the people here.

But senior Bharatiya Janta Party leader and Rajya Sabha member, Prabhakar Kore is now in a tight spot after boosting support for separate statehood for North Karnataka if Belagavi was not listed in the choice of ideal places for IIT in Karnataka.

Minister Higher Education and Tourism R.V. Deshpande called on the Union Minister for Human Resources Development Smriti Zubin Irani in New Delhi last Friday and discussed the proposal and recommended Dharwad, Mysuru and Raichur for early establishment of IIT in the State.

Mr. Kore, at a meeting of MPs, MLAs, MLCs and professionals herd here on April 17, had served a veiled threat that demand for separate State would become inevitable if the government did not include Belagavi.

Now that the government has ignored the case of Belagavi, all eyes are on Mr. Kore’s next move. Whether he would support the demand for separate statehood for the NK region or allow his threat to be considered as just a political stunt.