Bengaluru: A day before the “Utthara Karnataka Bandh” called by a forum concerned in 13 districts of North Karnataka region, Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy reaffirmed his government’s commitment to protect the identity of a “United Karnataka.”
He was speaking to the delegation from the North Karnataka region on Tuesday, July 31.
Blaming the opposition BJP for the unexpected demand for a separate statehood, Kumaraswamy said the bandh was a stunt to appease people for electoral gains in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.
The August 2 bandh has been called in the North Karnataka region by a forum of farmers’ and students’ organisations called Uttara Karnataka Pratyeka Rajya Horata Samiti. They accuse all the political parties of neglecting the region and are demanding a separate statehood for the development of the backward region.
The chief minister also promised to visit all the 13 districts within two months, at a meeting held with the leaders from North Karnataka. He also promised to look into the proposal for shifting some government offices to the Suvarna Soudha in Belagavi for bringing the government closer to the people.
