Uttara Karnataka Horata Samiti calls for bandh on August 2 over demand for separate state for North Karnataka

BENGALURU: The Uttara Karnataka Horata Samiti has called for a bandh across 13 districts of north Karnataka on August 2 over their demand for a separate state for North Karnataka.

The Uttar Karnataka Horata Samithi had earlier also launched a signature campaign to seek public opinion on a new state for  North Karnataka. It had cited that the region had been repeatedly ignored by all governments.

They had said that the new state should be formed bringing 80 taluks of 13 districts under its territorial jurisdiction. Spread over an area of 1.87 lakh sq.km., they demanded that the state should consist of 96 assembly segments, 12 parliamentary constituencies and 22 legislative council constituencies.

Just recently, the Samiti had warned the government of protests if it failed to protect the interests of the North Karnataka region. Samiti President Nilesh Bannur had alleged that the state government sanctioned only detrimental projects to North Karnataka, while welfare projects went into South Karnataka's kitty.

"We feel jealous to see the development projects sanctioned to South Karnataka. The government only sanctions projects like thermal power plants to NK that are detrimental," he was quoted as saying.

He had also claimed that the recent budget cleared by Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy's government had also failed to do justice to the entire state as it only concentrated on Mysuru region.