Basava Jaya Mrutyunjaya Swami, head of Lingayat Panchamasali Peetha, Kudalasangama, has said that despite tall claims north Karnataka still remains backward and the State government should announce a special economic package for the development of Kalyana and Kittur Karnataka.
Responding to a query on the demand for a separate State by BJP leader Umesh Katti in Haveri on Saturday, the seer said that just because people of the region had remained silent, efforts should not be made to suppress them. “The wall of patience of could break any time”, he said.
The seer said that Mr. Katti had been raising the demand for a separate State for almost a decade. Whenever stepmotherly treatment was accorded to north Karnataka, voices for a separate State resurfaced. If Karnataka has to remain undivided, then the government should take steps for development of north Karnataka. Government departments should be shifted to the Suvarna Vidhana Soudha in Belagavi and the recommendations of the Dr. Nanjundappa Committee on Regional Imbalance should be implemented in toto, he said.
Clarifying that the movement for independent religion status for Lingayatism was different, the seer said that the Panchamasali Peetha had been set up with the purpose of contributing to the development of the community.
“Making efforts to get justice to the community is our responsibility. The Panchamasali community requires inclusion under 2A category of Backward Classes to facilitate educational and social development,” he said.
To a query, the seer said that Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai had given an assurance to Minister C.C. Patil and MLA Basanagouda Patil Yatnal that he would provide requisite reservation to the community within two months.
“We are hopeful that Mr. Bommai will provide 2A reservation by August 22. If the demand is not met, Mr. Yatnal has said that he himself would stage a sit-in,” the seer said.
The seer said that already awareness programmes were being organised in Haveri from June 11. And in the next two months, awareness programmes would be held in Dharwad and Shivamogga district, he said, making an appeal to the people to participate in the agitation through peaceful means for the next two months.
