Bengaluru: The call for a bandh across 13 districts in north Karnataka received almost no public response and the local authorities have dubbed it a total failure. The JDS-Congress government in Karnataka successfully doused the fire by turning the tables on the opposition BJP which they claim was behind the demand for a separate north Karnataka state. Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy’s clever conciliatory moves worked well in favour of the government and several organisations pulled out of the bandh pledging their full support to one Karnataka.
The organisations which went ahead with the bandh call quickly changed it to symbolic protests after realising that their demand has no ground support. The bandh was a total failure across all 13 districts in northern part of the state.
There was no support to the demand even in major cities like Hubli-Dharwad, Belgaum, Bijapura, Bellary and Gulbarga. All commercial establishments, educational institutions and public transport functioning as usual.
Instead several organizations held a protest opposing division of the state for political gains. Pro- united Karnataka and anti-united Karnataka activists clashed in Belgaum. Barring this there was no incident across north Karnataka.
Deputy chief minister Dr G Parameshwara termed the bandh as a flop show. Speaking to media in Bengaluru he said that the government would not tolerate any efforts to divide the state.
Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy told News18 that no response to bandh has proved him right. He said, “I have always maintained that the people of north Karnataka don’t want a separate state. Only some politicians want a separate state. The BJP is behind all these things. After realising that it has backfired, they are now trying to blame the JDS. But they have been exposed.”
The BJP has rubbished charges of the Congress and the JDS. The BJP state chief BS Yeddyurappa has said that his party was against division of the state and he was trying to unite the people. He once again blamed the JDS for the sudden demand saying that Kumaraswamy’s statements have hurt the people of north Karnataka and if the state is divided, the Gowdas would be responsible for that.
Realising that the demand is a double-edged sword Yeddyurappa has warned his party leaders against making any statements regarding division of the state.
Kumaraswamy has promised to visit all 13 districts to meet the people in the next two months. He has also decided to shift several government offices to major cities in north Karnataka, declaring Belgaum as the second capital.
The state Congress has also decided to play safe by asking its leaders not to make contradictory statements.
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