‘Inclusion of Molakalmur in Ballari may defeat purpose of Art. 371(J)’

BJP leader from Kalaburagi and former member of Legislative Council Amarnath Patil has opposed the idea of including Molakalmur taluk in Ballari district from Chitradurga district.

When asked, at a press conference in Kalaburagi on Monday, for his stand on the demand for the inclusion of Molakalmur in Ballari district and Social Welfare Minister B. Sriramulu’s support for it, Mr. Patil said that the inclusion of outside area in Kalyana Karnataka region would essentially defeat the very purpose of Article 371(J) of the Constitution that offered Special Status to the region.

“In fact, the entire Ballari district was not part of the original Hyderabad Karnataka region as it was part of Madras Presidency during the British Rule. Considering its backwardness, it was later included in the Hyderabad Karnataka (now Kalyana Karnataka) region. The Union government later accorded Special Status to the region through a Constitutional amendment inserting Article 371(J) as a means to fight backwardness,” he said.

“Harapanahalli taluk, which was originally part of Ballari district and later included in Davangere district, was carved out of Davangere district and included in Ballari district so as that it too could get the benefits of Article 371(J). This was acceptable. But, adding any more taluks or districts to the region would essentially defeat the purpose of Special Status under Article 371(J),” Mr. Patil said.