Kannadigas have crushed separatism: Kumaraswamy

Condemning people calling for a division of Karnataka by demanding a separate north Karnataka state, Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy on Wednesday, said that Kannadigas had crushed such 'weak voices'.

“Weak voices, threatening the unity in the state are heard from time to time. The unification movement in the state has a hundred-year history. People of Karnataka have nipped all separatism in the bud, thereby ensuring unity,” he said.

Kumaraswamy’s Independence Day speech at the Manekshaw Parade Grounds, Bengaluru, largely focused on the separate statehood issue.

He said that his government was committed to the comprehensive development of the whole state, without compromising the identity of Kannadigas.

He said that the budgets presented by the previous Congress regime and the present coalition government complemented each other. His government was working at realising the assurances made in these budgets, he added.

The CM said that steps were being taken to transfer some of the government offices to Belagavi as desired by the people of northern districts.

The state government would also hold discussions with neighbouring states to ensure the welfare of Kannadigas living in Solapur, Goa, Kasaragod and other border areas, he added.

Kumaraswamy also announced that flexes and banners would be banned across the state. The Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) has recently taken a decision to ban flexes and banners after it was pulled up by the High Court for not clearing them.