BIDAR: The former Minister and Veerashaiva Mahasabha president Bheemanna Khandre has criticised the resolution of the Belgaum City Corporation seeking the transfer of Belgaum and other Marathi-speaking areas to Maharashtra.

Speaking to presspersons here on Saturday, he accused Belgaum Mayor Vijay More and other members of having committed an "unforgivable crime." The Government should supersede the corporation. The Mayor and members who voted in favour of the resolution should be disqualified from contesting elections, he said.

The former Minister urged the Union Government to include the Hyderabad Karnataka region under Article 371 of the Constitution. "All other attempts at developing the region have failed. This is the only hope left for us. If this is not achieved during the tenure of Chief Minister N. Dharam Singh, it will never happen," he said. He urged the Government to implement the D.M. Nanjundappa Committee report on removing regional imbalances in a time-bound manner.

Reservation

He noted that the demand of AHINDA for reservation in the judiciary is wrong and has the potential of dividing society.

The Constitution has clearly specified that there is no need for reservation in defence, judiciary and research institutions. AHINDA leaders should reconsider their demand, he said.

Mahatma Gandhi Sahakari Sakkare Karkhane, of which he is the president, will start crushing sugarcane from November 6, he said. "We plan to crush around 4 lakh tonnes of sugarcane this year.

There are three cooperative sugar factories in the district, each of which is capable of crushing around 4 lakh tonnes. All the three factories have decided to pay Rs. 1,100 for a tonne of sugarcane supplied, along with one kilogram of sugar," he said and added that all dues of farmers have been settled.

Farmers should supply their produce to factories in the district alone and not to those in other districts or States, he said. He urged the State Government to release Rs. 20 crores for pre-crushing preparations. Approach roads to factories should be repaired in two weeks, he said.

Mr. Khandre will meet Mr. Dharam Singh in Bangalore on Monday to prevail upon him to take steps to release crop insurance to farmers immediately.

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