Karnataka Bandh today: Over 100 history sheeters detained
Bengaluru, Dec 05: Over 100 history sheeters have been detained ahead of the Karnataka Bandh today.
On Friday, Chief Minister, B S Yediyurappa made a fervent appeal to pro-Kannada organisations not to go for Karnataka bandh on Saturday against the formation of Maratha Development Authority (MDA).
"I appeal to everyone including Vatal Nagaraj, not to trouble people with Karnataka Bandh. It is not required," the Chief Minister told reporters in Bengaluru.
Yediyurappa
said
he
is
making
every
effort
to
take
all
the
communities
along.
He
underlined
that
he
is
doing
everything
to
give
prominence
to
Kannada
language.
Karnataka bandh over Maratha board: What is open, what is closed
"I have already given prominence to Kannada and I am ready to do whatever is required to be done to make Kannada prominent," the Chief Minister said.
Various pro-Kannada organisations are up in arms against the formation of the Maratha Development Authority, which the Chief Minister had announced on November 14 and earmarked Rs 50 crore for the ''overall development of Maratha people''.
These organisations on Friday reaffirmed their resolve to hold the bandh on Saturday demanding that the government give up its decision to form the MDA.
Vatal
Nagaraj,
who
is
leading
the
agitation,
said
in
Bengaluru
the
agitation
is
for
Kannada
pride.
"I
want
to
tell
Yediyurappa
--
You
withdraw
the
''Authority''
(MDA),
I
will
garland
you
at
the
Vidhana
Soudha.
But
don''t
threaten
us.
We
will
not
get
scared
of
it,"
Nagaraj
said.
He alleged that the government threatened various organisations using police to withdraw support to the bandh but it will not work.
Film producer Sa Ra Govindu, various factions of Karnataka Rakshana Vedike including Praveen Shetty and T A Narayana Gowda, Ola-Uber drivers association and a few auto rickshaw unions have extended their support to the Bandh.
However, government offices, hotels, bus services and metro services will remain open.
In view of the bandh call, the police have beefed up security across the state to prevent any untoward incident and forcible closure of shops and commercial establishments.
In Bengaluru, about 14,000 policemen will be deployed.
The move to set up the MDA was seen as an attempt to Marathas who are dominant in Basava Kalyan in Bidar district, bordering with Maharashtra.
Assembly bye-election is due in Basava Kalyan following the death of the sitting Congress MLA B Narayan Rao due to coronavirus a few months ago.
The decision led to the growing clamour for various other development authorities and development corporations.
The government further announced the formation of Veerashaiva Lingayat Development Corporation with a fund of Rs 500 crore.
Basava
Kalyan
is
an
important
pilgrimage
for
the
people
of
Lingayat
sect,
as
it
was
the
''Karmabhoomi'' of
the
founder
of
the
sect
and
12th
century
social
reformer
Basaveshwara.
Yet,
these
measures
did
not
impress
the
pro-Kannada
organisations.
They want the government to withdraw the MDA for the reason that Marathis keep demanding secession of Belagavi district from Karnataka and merger with Maharashtra as the district has a sizeable Marathi population for being at the border of the two states.
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The Belagavi-based Maharasthra Ekikaran Samiti, which led the agitation for the merger of Belagavi with Maharashtra had even managed to set some of its members to the Karnataka Assembly.