Bengaluru Karnataka chief minister Basavaraj Bommai on Monday reiterated that the state government would rename Mumbai-Karnataka region as ‘Kittur-Karnataka’, saying the former title holds no meaning since there were no ties between the two after the restructuring of states in 1956.
“We have recently renamed Hyderabad-Karnataka region as Kalyana Karnataka. We have now decided to rename Mumbai-Karnataka region as ‘Kittur Karnataka’ in the coming days,” the chief minister said, adding, “After the reorganisation, the border issue has been settled. Is there any meaning to Mumbai-Karnataka?” The announcement was made during the Karnataka Rajyotsava, which is celebrated to commemorate the formation of Karnataka state 65 years ago. The Mumbai-Karnataka region, which was formerly under the Bombay presidency, became part of Karnataka in 1956.
While Karnataka celebrates Kannada Rajyotsava on November 1, the Maharashtra Ekikaran Samiti (MES), a group of native Marathi speakers, observe a black day as they claim to have been forcibly separated from their parent state 66 years ago during the reorganization exercise. The renaming has two benefits- one is to shrug off any ties to Mumbai and Maharashtra as well as naming the region after 19th century ruler, Kittur Rani Chennamma, the followers of whom are now the Panchamasalis, the largest subsect within the Lingayats. In 2012, the state government inaugurated the Suvarana Vidhana Soudha, a replica of the Vidhana Soudha in Bengaluru, where it holds the winter session of the state legislature, to further thwart any claims of territory from the neighbouring state. However, the region still have native Marathi speaking residents, who continue to raise the inclusion of Belagavi and surrounding regions into Maharashtra and often clash with pro-Kannada organisations in the border district.
“Renaming the region does not change the topography of marathi culture or have any impact on our movement,” Deepak Dalavi, the president of the MES said. He added that Rani Chennamma is a revered figure and had written to the British, seeking permission for adoption in Marathi language.
{{/usCountry}}“Renaming the region does not change the topography of marathi culture or have any impact on our movement,” Deepak Dalavi, the president of the MES said. He added that Rani Chennamma is a revered figure and had written to the British, seeking permission for adoption in Marathi language.
{{/usCountry}}Dalavi further said that there has been no change in the lives of the Marathi people who have been forced to move away from their roots.
Bommai said the changes in the region should have happened in 1956 when the State Reorganisation Act came into effect. Stating that mere renaming is not sufficient until the standard of living of the people in that region improves and development takes place, the chief minister said the regional imbalance and disparities should also go and all the regions should grow together. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led government is making efforts to end regional disparity with a vow not to leave any region in the state underdeveloped, Bommai said. “We are also committed to prepare an action plan for the development of ‘Kittur Karnataka region’,” he said.
Speaking on the occasion of Kannada Rajyotsava, when, 65 years ago, the erstwhile state of Mysore was renamed as Karnataka with several parts of other provinces becoming part of the state. Kittur Rani Chennamma was the ruler of Kittur, who led an armed rebellion against the British in the early 1800’s. She was from the Panchamsali community, the largest sub-sect of the Lingayat community, who have intensified their demands to be included in the 2A or most backward category in the state reservation list.
Influential seers and other leaders of the Panchamsalis have demanded that their reservation-related request be met at the earliest, failing which the community would revive its agitation. Influential Panchamsali seers and leaders have demanded that their reservation-related request be met at the earliest, failing which the community would revive its agitation. The community has already started to mobilise support for its cause and the government continues to reassure the group of appropriate action.
Kudalasangama-based Panchamasali Mutt seer Jagadguru Basava Jaya Mrityunjaya Swami, who is leading the agitation, had on October 21 made a veiled threat to the government demanding action on their reservation request or expect a backlash in the October 30 bypolls, as reported by HT.
He demanded that the government should get the report from the backward classes commission over the reservation. “There is some discontentment among the people. Last time when the results of Maski and Belagavi came, the media showed it was the impact of Panchamasali discontentment,” the seer had said.
“This is one kind of politics to pacify our community (Panchamasali). In the bypolls, one of the Congress candidate is from our community. In Hanagal, we have 60,000 people and even in Sindgi we are the deciding vote but they (BJP) did not give one of us a ticket. Because they didnt give us a ticket they are trying to pacify us by giving such statements,” Vijayanand Kashappanavar, former MLA of Congress party and president of Akhila Bharatha Lingayat Panchamasali Mahasabha said on Monday.
Going into the history of Kannada and Kannadigas, Bommai said there were Kannadiga rulers who ruled the neighbouring states such as Kadamba, Chalukya, and Vijayanagara empires.
Bommai said Kannada displayed its unique internal strength to survive even in the face of onslaught by foreign invaders. “Even when rulers from other regions took reins here, Kannada managed to save itself. The language withstood the attacks of foreign forces and is standing firm. It was possible because it has got its own internal strength, which we should never forget. No force can ever destroy Kannada,” the chief minister said. He also told the gathering that the funds for the Kalyana Karnataka region bordering Telangana will be doubled in the next budget and ₹3,000 crore will be allocated for the purpose
The CM said the government has given utmost importance to Kannada, making the language compulsory in the higher education under the new National Education Policy (NEP). He also said his government has made efforts to teach engineering in Kannada medium.
The Bommai government had to face criticism on at least three occasions since he took over from his predecessor BS Yediyurappa in July this year, over a visible absence of Kannada in official programmes.
Bommai emphasised that his government wants the Kannadigas should get up to 75% jobs in jobs in government, private and semi-government industries in Karnataka.
Earlier, Bommai offered his obeisance to Bhuvaneshwari Devi, the mother Goddess of Karnataka, and hoisted the Kannada flag along with the national tricolour at the Kanteerava Stadium.
(With agency inputs)