When there is no major issue in your region, you raise the issue of a separate state. Why do you do this?
My demand for a separate state of North Karnataka is not for my personal gain but for the overall development of the region which remains undeveloped. I will give one simple example. More than 40 per cent of the power generated is supplied to Bengaluru region and 20 per cent goes to Mangalore region depriving North-Karnataka of its expected share. The NK region is meted out similar treatment in most sectors that halted the process of development. I have raised the issue of statehood even when I was a minister and will give definite shape to it. A new state should be formed to make way for the growth of a neglected part of Karnataka.
Can you give some scientific reasons why you are pushing for division?
After former PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee decided to have smaller states, we saw the emergence of Jarkhand, Uttaranchal and many other new states. The former PM was confident that it was possible to develop faster only when we have smaller states. Another important factor is that the state government always focused more on river Cauvery and not Krishna. When it comes to having major projects in irrigation and agriculture, the major chunk does not go to North-Karnataka. The government never showed interest in bringing IT|BT industries to this region. North Karnataka n which has a huge potential to grow many rich crops in abundance, was never was promoted in this sector too. A new state is the only remedy.
Your party (BJP) opposes your view?
Demand for a separate state is my personal view and the party should not be dragged into it. In the coming days, I will write letters to the party leaders to convince them about this. I will request the party to discuss the issue in party forums.
If development is the criterion, you and your cabinet collegues in the past could have developed NK region?
I can give you a long list of works which were taken up particularly for the development of NK region when I was minister. The cabinet gave the green signal for the launch of 11 new sugar factories when I was Sugar Minister which helped the cooperative sector grow stronger. We got a huge fund from the World Bank to improve state highways and the cooperative sector. As Horticulture Minister, I was able to open an Agriculture University in Bagalkot which is expected to give a new dimension to the thriving horticulture sector in dry lands of NK. Agriculture colleges also took shape in Gulbarga and Haveri, the two most ignored districts. Unfortunately, the present government is not prepared to give a minimum support price to cane growers.
Q: Are you demanding a new state so that Lingayats are able to rule the state?
I never had such intentions. Is there anything wrong to be born as a Lingayat. For me, every class of society should get its due importance. If you go through the records about cabinet formation and the leaders area-wise who made it to the state cabinet over the years, you will find that most of the cabinets had comparatively less number of leaders from NK, a Lingayat-majority region. Although, the ruling party often had the highest number of MLAs from NK, ultimately it were leaders from other regions who got a major share in the state cabinet. The ruling Congress named legislators from Bengaluru as Agriculture Minister and Food Minister. What is the logic behind giving these portfolios to MLAs from Bengaluru. Can a MLA from Bengaluru be aware of the practical problems in agriculture. I think, such ministries should be given to legislators who hail from rural areas and have indepth knowledge about agriculture and farming.
Most leaders feel you want to be CM, so you raised the statehood issue. Comment.
CM Siddaramaiah said I am irresponsible in demanding a separate state. The CM should ask himself how responsible he is. He forgets his responsibility when it comes to NK region. Within two hours, the CM finished his recent review of flood and drought-hit NK region. The CM is not at all serious and calls me irresponsible. I personally feel I do have all the abilities to become a CM and why not. But that's not why I raised the separate statehood issue. I want the development of a neglected region. I ask Kannada Nadu Paksha leader Vatal Nagraj whether he visited Bijapur and Raichur. He is unaware of the strong Kannada base which people of NK region have made for themselves. Majority of people living in North-Karnataka are real Kannadigas and did not migrate from other states.
