'Hope Centre respects public sentiments on Aero India issue'

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Karnataka Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy today hoped the Centre would respect and respond positively to public sentiments in favour of holding the Aero India show here itself and not shift it to Lucknow.

Kumaraswamy, who has already written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the issue, raised it during his Independence day address after hoisting the tricolour.

The Congress had alleged that the Modi government was planning to shift the show to Lucknow for political gains in Uttar Pradesh ahead of the Lok Sabha polls next year.

Union Minister Ananth Kumar had clarified yesterday that Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman had confirmed that there was no decision on the matter.

"The public are strongly opposed to shifting of this event. I have written to the Prime Minister and Defence Minister and brought this issue to the notice of Members of Parliament too," the chief minister said.

On demands from various quarters for separate statehood for North Karnataka, he said the strong will of the people have silenced the 'feeble voices clamouring for division.'