JOIN USHDK, Revanna are allergic to North Karnataka: Shettar
Former chief minister Jagadish Shettar said on Wednesday that Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy and his brother PWD Minister H D Revanna, and even former chief minister Siddaramaiah are all allergic towards the North Karnataka region.
Shettar said the JD(S) and Congress leaders are allergic to North Karnataka's people and its development. He asked Kumaraswamy to at least visit some temples and mutts in North Karnataka region, alleging that Kumaraswamy's recent 'temple run' is concentrated in South Karnataka, where the JD(S) leader and his family hail from.
"Kumaraswamy assured to shift some offices to Belagavi, but that assurance is not yet fulfilled. On the other hand, PWD Minister H D Revenna snatched KSHIP (Karnataka State Highways Improvement Project) offices away from Belagavi, due to his love towards Hassan and Holenarasipur. He (Revanna) says there is a letter of the World Bank in this regard, though there is no such letter. Let him disclose that letter, or give a copy to me," Shettar challenged.
Both Kumaraswamy and Revanna are 'emperors of lies' said Shettar. Kumaraswamy is on a 'temple run' saying that he became the chief minister due to god's blessing, and not due to people's support, and therefore he is neglecting people, especially of North Karnataka region. Kumaraswamy's 'temple run' is too much as the chief minister, and he should concentrate for administration and public welfare, and should attend issues in North Kanrtaka also, he added.
Infighting in the Belagavi Congress would spread to the entire party, and the government would collapse automatically with the BJP returning to government, he predicted.
"Pending pension grants to HDMC (Hubli Dharwad Municipal Corporation) would have been released, Rs 24 crore bulk water supply improvement proposal would have been approved, tenders would have been called for all CRF (Central Road Fund) roads," he said while taking part in a protest by BJP workers in Hubbali on Wednesday, adding "...24X7 water supply project confusion would have been resolved in just one day, if BJP was in power in the State". The Congress and coalition (Congress-JD(S)) governments have neglected these issues, and people of twin cities are suffering, he charged.
Background
As one of North Karnataka's top leaders, Shettar has been critical of political leadership stemming from the Old Mysore region and other parts of Karnataka on the grounds that the northern part of the state has been treated unfarily by administrators and politicians. Due to low development numbers and metrics reported from North Karnataka, which comprises Bombay-Karnataka and Hyderabad-Karnataka, activists have demanded a separate state. Linguistic and cultural reasons also form a part of the demand for a separate state.
He has recently stoked controversy around the issue of the North Karnataka statehood by alleging that Kumaraswamy was not being fair to the region.
Read more at: CM instigating demand for separate state: BJP
Understand the issue: Development disparity in Karnataka
He has also asked for a separate cricket board on the ground that there was regionalism in sports: Shettar suggests formation of North Karnataka cricket body Former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has also hit out at Jagadish Shettar and other leaders by saying that they did nothing while they were in government. Read the story here: BJP leaders' contribution for N-K development zero: CM
Bus fare hike
It is not correct to increase the bus fare in the name of hike in diesel price, Shettar said. The state government should hold talks with Union Government to find a solution, as the issue of diesel-petrol price hike has come to the notice of Prime Minister Narendra Modi also, which also depends on oil price in international market, he said.