Karnataka - Gulbarga   

Threat to revive agitation for statehood for North Karnataka

Special Correspondent

Hyderabad Karnataka Horata Samiti may join hands with groups led by Janata Dal (U) MLC C. Nadagouda

GULBARGA: The Hyderabad Karnataka Horata Samiti (HKHS) has threatened to revive its stir for statehood for North Karnataka by joining hands with like-minded organisations in the Bombay-Karnataka region.

HKHS president and MLA Vaijnath Patil told presspersons here on Tuesday that the general body of the HKHS is scheduled to meet in Gulbarga on March 12 to chalk out the future course of action. He said the organisations demanding statehood for North Karnataka led by Janata Dal (U) MLC C. Nadagouda have invited the HKHS to join hands with them.

Mr. Patil said he and other HKHS office-bearers will leave for Hubli after March 12 to hold talks with Mr. Nadagouda and frame a joint strategy to launch a sustained agitation for statehood.

He said the promises made by the Government to initiate measures to usher in improvement in North Karnataka by implementing long-pending projects have remained only on paper. The demand for an amendment to Article 371 of the Constitution to provide reservation in employment and educational opportunities for people in backward regions in the State has not been met so far.

Mr. Patil said the HKHS had put off its demand for statehood for the Hyderabad Karnataka region based on the promise by N. Dharam Singh Government that it will persuade the Centre to amend Article 371 of the Constitution. But this has not been fulfilled. The Government headed by H.D. Kumaraswamy has not made any assurance on the demand. The State Government, which is interested in investing several crores of rupees in the Metro Rail project for Bangalore, has shown little interest in completing the pending projects of the region, he said.

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