Spirit of unified Karnataka is missing, says PaPu

Senior journalist Patil Puttappa said the spirit of unified Karnataka is missing among the people of the state.

Speaking at a function organised by Mysuru District Journalists' Association to release the book 'Koti Odugara Andolana' here on Friday, Puttappa, popularly known of PaPu, said the objective of unification of Karnataka will not be fulfilled until each citizen of the state does not develop the spirit of unity.

“People still discriminate on the lines of North Karnataka, Coastal Karnataka, South Karnataka, Central Karnataka and so on. People are yet to accept that we all belong to one Karnataka. There is little inter-mingling. We should tide over the mental and cultural barriers, for the comprehensive development of the state,” he said.

“Once, while felicitating me, the anchor of a programme announced that by honouring me, they were honouring the whole of North Karnataka. I objected to this and said that I will accept the felicitation only if I am recognised as a person of the whole of Karnataka. Such divisions are evident in the media also. The reports on achievers are restricted to their respective district and region. The rest of Karnataka does not know about such achievers. Localised editions of newspapers are adding fuel to the fire of regionalism among Kannadigas,” he said.

“Our state ministers often tour foreign countries. But, most of them have not seen parts of Karnataka properly. The government and Kannada activists should take steps to unite the people,” he said.

Former minister V Srinivas Prasad said the sufferings due to the caste system have not changed over the decades, despite visible development in the society.