State to press for special status to 5 dists

Chief Minister D V Sadananda Gowda on Wednesday said, the state government would pressure the Centre to amend Article 371 of the Constitution to accord special status to the five backward districts in the Hyderabad-Karnataka region.

“We are pressurising the central government again,” Gowda told reporters in response to questions after a Cabinet meeting.

A state delegation would visit New Delhi to press the Centre again on the issue while an all-party meeting would be convened during the course of the Assembly session commencing on January 30, he said.

The state government is demanding that the five districts of Gulbarga, Raichur, Bidar, Koppal and Yadgir in the Hyderabad-Karnataka region be accorded special status. Asked if a resolution demanding the amendment by the Centre would be passed in the Assembly, the chief minister pointed out that such a step had already been taken. “Repeatedly passing resolutions is not necessary at this stage,” he said. Further, Gowda said, the Centre had agreed to amend the Article, but “it’s a matter of concern” that the issue did not come up during the last parliamentary session despite it being ready. He said, the central leaders, including Union Ministers from the State, are “cooperating” and all that is needed now is to place the proposal before the Union Cabinet for approval. A bandh was observed in the five districts of Gulbarga, Raichur, Bidar, Koppal and Yadgir in the region on Tuesday demanding the amendment Vaijnath Patil, President of the Hyderabad Karnataka Horata Samiti, which had given the call for the shut-down, said: “Amending the Article will facilitate comprehensive development and ensure special reservation in employment and educational opportunities.”

Meanwhile, the Cabinet approved the text of Governor H R Bhardwaj’s address, to be delivered at the joint session of the Karnataka Legislature on January 30. Chief Minister also said the Cabinet decided to “close” a case, registered years ago, against Uttara Kannada Lok Sabha member, Ananth Kumar Hegde, but did not specify the details.