A march, which had begun from Vijayapura on Wednesday under the leadership of Devara Hipparagi MLA A.S. Patil Nadahalli, condemning the “injustice to north Karnataka” and demanding its all-round development, culminated with a public meeting at Mahatma Gandhi Stadium here on Sunday.
Earlier in the day, thousands of activists with green-yellow-red flags, along with several cultural troupes, marched through major streets in the city raising slogans against successive governments and political leaders who “neglected North Karnataka”.
Several writers and social activists from different parts of the north Karnataka including Kum. Veerabhadrappa, Allamaprabhu Bettadur, B.R. Police Patil, Razak Ustad, B.D. Hiremath, N.G. Chachadi, Mehaboob Pasha Moolimani, Balaswamy Kodli and others participated in the procession and public meeting.
Progress or Statehood
Addressing the crowd at stadium, MLA A.S. Patil Nadahalli asked the government and south Karnataka-based political leaders to choose between the development of north Karnataka or its emergence as a new State.
“We, as a region, have rich natural resources, but continue to be economically backward. We generate most of the electricity in the State, but continue to suffer from frequent power-cuts. We have abundant water resources, yet continue to feel excessive thirst. The State Cabinet, all government departments, State-owned corporations and boards, academies and educational institutions are dominated by people from south Karnataka. The discrimination can no longer be tolerated,” he said.
Mass movement
Extending their full support to the cause, radical writer Allamaprabhu Bettadur, novelist Kum. Veerabhadrappa and poet B.R. Patil called upon the people of north Karnataka to unite in a collective struggle for the development of their region.
“The present movement is giving visibility to the aspirations of people of north Karnataka who have historically been the victims of discrimination. The injustice is bound to continue as long as people of the region do not raise their voices and get united to fight it,” Kum. Veerabhadrappa said.
While Allamaprabhu Bettadur demanded cultural reservation for ensuring fair representation of north Karnataka in all academies, awards and other cultural spheres, B.R. Patil attacked north Karnataka’s elected representatives, irrespective of parties, for their silence over continued discrimination and injustice to their region.
All the leaders unanimously demanded the State government to ensure Indian Institute of Technology and 24x7 uninterrupted power supply to Raichur district.
