Inequality breeds discontent and who would know it better than those living in the arid plains of North Karnataka, where a hard summer means mass migration to Mumbai or Bengaluru, with the dreaded alternative being starvation and death? For centuries, they lived under the yoke of the Nizams and Maratha rulers and going by the pitiable state of the 13 districts in the region, one can safely conclude that caught in their preponderance over matters concerning their immediate territories, rulers before Independence did not care to devote too much attention to people in faraway districts like Bidar, Kalaburgi and Raichur. It needed a H.D. Kumaraswamy - and you could call it his intemperate remark on North Karnataka and its poor ability to fund its projects - to reignite the never-ending debate on whether Karnataka should be one or two. To add to their anger, Kumaraswamy who belongs to the Vokkaliga dominated JD(S), decided to set aside a major chunk of his budget funds for projects in districts down south in the state which was enough to evoke howls of protest from the North. But what is North Karnataka actually looking for - a separate state or just more funds, and more and more of projects which could bring it on par with the more developed South Karnataka, pampered by the Wadiyars and the British in the past? BHASKAR HEGDE explores the psyche of those living in the northern districts and why the cry for a separate state this time seems to be much more resolute than it was in the past, to set right what they describe as a historic wrong.
There was nothing romantic about the merciless sun in April with the temperature hovering around 40 degrees and people who had lost their jobs, having enough time to speak to this reporter who was in North Karnataka to cover the assembly elections. Thatched, broken huts, open drains and dust encrusted, impoverished kids hanging about, was the sight which greeted any visitor to the North. This is a scene from one of the villages near Jewargi town in Kalaburgi district in 2008. Poverty, illiteracy and whatever else, you name it, they have it all. No one knows where all the big talk of netas on the floor of the Legislature about alleviating poverty and hunger finally went. There is nothing visible on the ground to prove that their promises have been delivered.
For anyone, criss- crossing Hyderabad and Mumbai Karnataka, these images keep hitting your eyes. Now in 2018, the situation might be slightly better which is why the people of north Karnataka kept silent over the perceived neglect of their region till the budget presented by CM Kumaraswamy left them with no option but to call for a bandh. But then, North Karnataka hardly responded maybe because of the CM’s assurance that government offices would be shifted to Belagavi which would be considered for the status of second capital. But more than the divide between North and South, what is pretty evident is the mutual distrust that runs deep in the veins of the people. This dates back to the 1950s when the state was about to be formed. It is no secret that Lingayats from the North felt that their control over politics would go if their region was merged with the old Mysuru region to create a new state, Mysuru and southern leaders particularly those from the Vokkaliga community felt the same. Yet the state was created and the grouse remained.
When S.M. Krishna was chief minister, a committee headed by economist Dr D.M. Nanjundappa, was constituted to look into the matter of backwardness. This brought to the fore the ugly realities and disparities. Of the 175 taluks which existed then, 114 were categorised as backward including 55 in the south itself. Based on the recommendations, the government evolved special development programmes focussing on creating infrastructure in education, health and agriculture. The next big development came when the UPA-I government at the Centre gave special status to Hyderabad-Karnataka region enabling the state government to create a special reservation category for candidates from this region.
SPECIAL STATUS
Has the special status really changed things? Uttara Karnataka Pratyeka Rajya Horata Samiti (UKPRH) convenor, S.M. Kotambari feels adequate development has happened in North Karnataka. “Basic infrastructure is not in place in many places and that is the reason why we have been fighting for our due share. Recently, when we met Chief Minister, H.D. Kumaraswamy, he promised to expedite the developmental process. We need to give them time. So we decided to call off the bandh,” he said. The fight for North Karnataka was preceded by the struggle for a railway division headquarters which the region got almost a decade later. Similarly, there was a fight for an IIT for almost two decades and they got it finally two years back in 2016.
The problem now with the proposal for a North Karnataka state is that politicians from Hyderabad Karnataka region feel they may lose their clout, with the more developed Mumbai Karnataka likely to dominate. They are also vehemently opposed to the status of second capital for Belagavi and wonder why Kalaburgi would not be a better choice. In fact when the high court bench was about to be handed over to Dharwad, residents of Kalaburgi intensified their agitation and finally, they were pacified with the allotment of a circuit bench. Perhaps, a separate state is not what North Karnataka really wants. It’s only that they raise the bogey whenever they need something -projects, funds or when they experience a feeling of neglect. And if it does not happen, they can always raise their voice as they are no strangers to struggles. Who can forget the campaign for a high court bench in Dharwad with the hunger strike launched by the main protagonist, B.D. Hiremath, creating ripples in political circles?
“We do not want it (a state) actually. But, how long can we stay silent when we see the raw deal being meted out to North Karnataka? Let us see. Mr Kumaraswamy has promised to transfer some departments to Suvarna Soudha in Belagavi. If things move in the right direction and we get our rightful share of development, we will not raise the statehood demand,” adds Mr Kotambari. At Independence, India had 12 states, now it has 29 and seven union territories . Geographical reasons, cultural differences and the yawning developmental gap have spurred movements for statehood leading to formation of states like Jharkhand, Uttarakhand and Chhattisgarh not to mention Telangana, in recent decades.
UNIFIERS
In the case of North Karnataka, geography could be a valid reason for statehood. Someone in Bidar has to travel 680 km to reach the state capital! But there are greater factors which unify the North and South, factors like language and culture and the fact that the united Mysore state was formed after a protracted struggle which stretched over three decades and finally brought together regions like Old Mysuru, Mumbai-Karnataka, Hyderabad-Karnataka and Kodagu all because they spoke the same tongue.
Breaking up a state is easier said than done; after all the effort which has gone into building infrastructure including dams, power projects, power centres and institutions keeping in mind the needs of a united Karnataka. The schism between the two regions has maybe arisen because of the statements made by a Vokkaliga CM whose party hardly has a pan-Karnataka presence and can afford to antagonise people up North. A united Karnataka will any day command more clout and respect than a splintered one and so the solution to the problems of the North lies elsewhere - in a determined effort to redress regional imbalance and share resources more equitably which makes it imperative for the political class to rise above narrow-minded considerations and think pan-Karnataka.
The crucial question then is this - can H.D Kumaraswamy think big like his illustrious predecessors-Kengal Hanumanthaiah and Devaraj Urs- and devote more attention to Raichur and Bidar, than Ramanagara and Hassan? Karnataka waits for an answer as so does every admirer of this great land.
Why not a separate state When it helps people?
While elected representatives treat the separate statehood demand as blasphemous, many others don’t mind giving it a thought as they feel it will help the people at large. Mohan Katarki, a senior Supreme Court counsel and Angel Investor Mohandas Pai are among the many who feel creation of a separate state can bring more vibrancy to the region. Mr Katarki feels that when people become aspirational, they may demand more and perhaps even a separate state. “What more do people want if roads are given, schools and colleges built and good hospitals provided?”, he asks.
The ‘bias’ is not restricted to projects. Not even a single super hero of the Kannada film industry is from north Karnataka. The writers of North Karnataka find it difficult to get even their literary works acknowledged in the South. Barring some track and field events, sports including cricket has little footprint in the North with youngsters failing to make the cut. But thanks to North Karnataka, many got hooked on to Hindustani music, stalwarts like Bhimsen Joshi, Gangubai Hanagal, Basavaraj Rajguru and Mallikarjun Mansoor emerged on the national scene. “I feel, creation of a separate state may further alienate them. No doubt, four writers of north Karnataka origin got Jnanpeeth awards but I agree that writers from North Karnataka find it hard to push their literary works. Due to the difference in spoken language, they failed to make a cut in the Kannada film industry,” says journalist and writer Girish Rao (Jogi).
Mr Pai draws attention towards the harsh realities of north Karnataka which certainly force politicians from that region to think again about the united Karnataka concept. “People from north Karnataka have been ignored. Their social, economic and infrastructure development is less compared to the South. They lack communication skills, confidence and English,” says Mr Pai while replying on why employability is a big factor among the educated class up North. ''It is difficult to govern a big state. With 6.5 crore people, Karnataka is equal to the UK in population but does not have the governance capacity of a UK. In a smaller state, there will be greater focus on development, education, infrastructure and governance, ''reasons Mr Pai.
Mr Katarki is of the view that the statehood demand might have come out from an urge for recognition of their distinct regional and cultural identity. “If two states are formed, both the states can grow and develop Kannada culture and art more meaningfully.” However, he adds that if steps like announcing Belagavi as the second capital and a fair apportionment of political and administrative powers are implemented, the split can be averted.
