BENGALURU/HUBBALLI/BELAGAVI: The dharna by several mutts in North Karnataka on Tuesday, seeking adequate attention and resources for the region’s development, turned into a show of one-upmanship between the JD(S) and BJP . Both parties claimed credit for work they had done, while the Congress was caught in the crossfire.It was high drama both in Belagavi, where 65 seers from various mutts staged a dharna, and in Bengaluru, where chief minister H D Kumaraswamy held discussions with Somashekar Kothambari, president of Prathyeka Rajya Horata Samiti, a forum demanding separate statehood for North Kar nataka.Yeddyurappa virtually hijacked the seers’ dharna, when he visited the protest venue outside Suvarna Vidhana Soudha (SVS) in Belagavi along with BJP MLAs, who used the forum to make speeches.“My party will put pressure on the government for development of North Karnataka. If the government fails to do it, I will do it within 24 hours of the BJP government coming to power,” Yeddyurappa told the seers, while appealing to organizations to withdraw their North Karnataka bandh call scheduled on August 2.He also declared that BJP will not support the demand for a separate state, but work to fulfil demands of the region. Condemning Kumaraswamy’s statement on North Karnataka, Yeddyurappa said: “The words may be by Kumaraswamy but the brain behind it is former PM H D Deve Gowda.”This triggered a protest by JD(S) workers present, who accused the BJP of politicizing the issue. Slogans were raised by both sides.Meanwhile, seers of various mutts warned the government that people of the region would be left with no option but to seek a separate state, if it continues to neglect the region’s development. They also demanded shifting of a few secretariat offices to Belagavi.“We are not in favour of a separate state, but demand is growing because of the government’s negligence. The state government must act before it is too late,” said Siddharam Swami of Naganuru Rudrakshimath, Belagavi.He also took legislators from North Karnataka to task for not raising their voice for the region’s development. “We are forced to take to the streets as you (MLAs) are not doing your duties. You resign protesting injustice to North Karnataka, and we will give you a rousing welcome,” the seer said.Uttar Karnataka Horata Samiti (UKHS) state president Bhimappa Gadad and Dharwad Bar Association president BD Hiremath also spoke on the issue.While Siddharam Swami was speaking, leader of UKHS Adivesh Itagi attempted to hoist the symbolic North Karnataka state flag, by asking seers to hold it. This created chaos for a while with some seers protesting, stating that they were not in favour of a separate state. Police on duty seized the flag and took Itagi away from the venue.Chandrashekhar Shivacharya Swami of Hukkeri said the statehood flag wasn’t hoisted and organizers had just held it up.Somashekar Kothambari, president of Prathyeka Rajya Horata Samiti, said that a decision on whether to go ahead with the proposed bandh on August 2, will be taken on Wednesday.Somashekhar, who met chief minister H D Kumaraswamy and former MLA N H Konareddy, said the CM has assured them that he would fulfil all the demands of North Karnataka and appealed to him to withdraw the bandh call.“We will discuss the issue with other organizations which are part of the movement, and take a decision on the bandh,” Somashekhar said, adding that the decision on the bandh holds good as of now.Manjunath Angadi of Uttara Karnataka Rait Sangh said there is no question of withdrawing the bandh call. “He (Kumaraswamy) has insulted our farmers by saying they have not voted for the JD(S),” he added.

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