Scores of people, including Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa, All-India Congress Committee general secretary M. Mallikarjun Kharge, Lok Sabha member Umesh Jadhav and a host of MLAs, apart from thousands of civil society activists and people in Kalyana Karnataka region, condoled the demise of the former Minister Vaijanath Patil on Saturday.
Mr. Patil, who had been in the forefront of a people’s agitation for over two decades for special status for the Kalyana Karnataka region, died at the age of 81 at a private hospital in Bengaluru in the morning. His mortal remains were transported to Kalaburagi by air and kept at the Hindi Prachar Sabha for a couple of hours in the evening for allowing the public to get the glimpse of their leader and pay him last respects. The body then was shifted to Chincholi, his native place, where he will be laid to rest on Sunday.
Mr. Yediyurappa said he was deeply saddened by the death of Mr. Patil, whom he described as a man who dedicated his entire life to the development of Kalyana Karnataka.
“He played a crucial role in obtaining special status for Kalyana Karnataka with the inclusion of Article 371(J) in the Constitution. He had great concerns about the development of Kalyana Karnataka. His contributions as a legislator and two-time Minister — Horticulture Minister in the Ramakrishna Hegde government and Urban Development Minister in the Deve Gowda government — were also commendable. In his death, we have lost a straightforward politician who fought for his people,” the Chief Minister said. Later, Mr. Yediyurappa visited Fortis Hospital in Bengaluru and paid his last respects to Mr. Patil.
Mr. Kharge, in a tweet, said that Mr. Patil had always fought for special status for Kalyana Karnataka. “His death is a great loss to our region. His fight, working style and zeal for development are inspirations for all of us,” the senior Congressman said.
It was Mr. Patil’s mass agitations on the streets of the Kalyana Karnataka region, coupled with Mr. Kharge’s political battle inside Parliament, that led to the accordance of special status to the region under the UPA II regime.
‘An inspiration’
Mr. Jadhav, in a statement, commended Mr. Patil as a man of integrity and straightforward approach. “His contributions to the region are immeasurable. His commitment and hard work to the cause is an inspiration to all of us,” he said.
Priyank Kharge, MLA for Chittapur and former Minister, termed Mr. Patil a people’s leader who mobilised the public for the Kalyana Karnataka cause and its realisation. “He was known for his clear standpoints and uncompromising struggles. He was always at the forefront in addressing the issues of the region and its people. His death has created a great vacuum of leadership in the region,” the Congress leader said.
As news of the death spread, people from across the State, especially those who were connected to the region, began paying homage to the departed leader on social media. Schools and colleges in Chincholi constituency, which Mr. Patil represented twice in the Assembly, observed bandh voluntarily. Students who came to the institutions paid homage to Mr. Patil and returned home.
