Why Belagavi district is difficult to divide

The State Cabinet’s approval for the creation of Vijayanagara district by dividing Ballari has led to calls for to divide Belagavi, the most important district within the State. While the argument for division is that it might assist enhance administration, the problem within the border district is linked to different considerations, particularly linguistic ones. Leaders’ considerations about how it might have an effect on their political careers are additionally an enormous issue at play.

There are many who really feel Belagavi is a case match for division, given the vastness of the district. It has 506 gram panchayats, essentially the most in Karnataka. The 55 lakh individuals of the district reside in 18 Assembly segments in 14 taluks. People from some villages in Chikkodi have to journey 200 km to attain the district headquarters. Other huge cities corresponding to Chikkodi, Gokak, Bailhongal, Hukkeri, Athani, and Khanapur are disadvantaged of businesses or services such because the district central cooperative financial institution, KMF dairies, client dispute reddressal boards, zilla panchayats, NABARD places of work, and HESCOM distribution centres. They even have fewer increased academic establishments.

However, for linguistic causes, Kannada organisations have strongly opposed the plan to divide Belagavi district since 1997. The then Chief Minister J.H. Patel’s announcement on the formation of Chikkodi district by dividing Belagavi had sparked off offended protests in Belagavi and surrounding cities. Kannada leaders had been apprehensive that Kannada audio system can be diminished to a minority within the district if it had been to be divided. Activists protested for 29 days earlier than the State authorities relented. Patel issued orders withholding the division and stated Belagavi would stay undivided until the border dispute with Maharashtra was settled.

Political play

Satish Jarkiholi, Congress chief and patriarch of the Gokak-based Jarkiholi clan, has now renewed the talk with a requirement that Belagavi be, in reality, trifurcated on the traces of Dharwad. “Why can’t Gokak and Chikkodi be separate districts?” he requested. He has argued that the specter of Marathi assertion and the demand for merger of Belagavi with Maharashtra has misplaced steam. He additionally claimed that fears of Marathi audio system gaining the higher hand within the zilla panchayat or the district central cooperative financial institution had been “unfounded”.

Leaders corresponding to Prabhakar Kore and Mahantesh Kavatagimath have opposed the creation of Chikkodi district, fearing that former Minister and Congress chief Prakash Hukkeri would come to dominate it. However, B.R. Sangappagol, president of Chikkodi Zilla Horata Samiti, has welcomed it, calling it a long-pending demand.

Kannada activists, nevertheless, are in opposition to the concept. “If the Jarkiholi brothers are speaking of carving out Gokak district, it is because they want their fiefdoms. They don’t have the people’s welfare in mind,” stated Ashok Chandaragi, convener of the motion committee of Kannada associations.