BSY’s move to set up Maratha board lands him in trouble

Bengaluru: Chief minister BS Yediyurappa has landed himself in trouble with pro-Kannada groups, who have raised issues with his plans to establish a government body to look after the welfare of Marathas.
The announcement to set up a Maratha Development Board is being seen as the ruling BJP's ploy to win over Maratha voters ahead of the bypolls to the Basavakalyan Assembly and the Belagavi Lok Sabha constituencies, both bordering Maharashtra. Kannada organisations have warned the government of launching statewide agitation and holding a bandh if the plan was not dropped forthwith.

Several pro-Kannada organisations staged a protest in Bengaluru on Tuesday.

“The government must withdraw the order to set up the Maratha Development Board by November 27, failing which we will stage a statewide stir and Karnataka bandh on December 5,” Kannada Okkuta president Vatal Nagaraj told reporters during the protest.

Two days ago, the state government issued an order to set up the Maratha Development Board and set aside a fund of 50 crore to be utilised for the social, educational and economic development of the community.

Marathi-speaking people account for 60% of the population in Belagavi, as per the 2011 census. The district has often witnessed clashes between Kannada and Maratha activists, due to a long-standing dispute between Karnataka and Maharashtra over Belagavi’s territory.

Kannada activists have always had an issue with Maharashtra as they see Marathas are unjustly claiming their territory along the border areas, and are trying to establish their hegemony.

Kannada activists in Bengaluru and Belagavi have accused the chief minister of indulging in appeasement politics ahead of the bypolls.

The by-election to Belagavi has been necessitated following the death of former Union minister Suresh Angadi. The Basavakalyan Assembly seat fell vacant after the demise of Congress legislator B Narayan Rao.

A Kannada activist said while the state had allocated a measly 5 crore to the Kannada Development Authority, it was a matter of shame it gave 50 crore to the Maratha board despite its weak financial position. “Is the government eventually going to shut the Kannada Development Authority while encouraging Marathas,” he asked.

The Congress, a partner in the ruling coalition in Maharashtra, too has criticised the BJP.

“There are about 30,000 Maratha voters in Basavakalyan. The development board is a ploy to pacify the community ahead of the bypolls and the real intention is not the welfare of the community,” opposition leader Siddaramaiah of the Congress said.

The Yediyurappa government had announced to set up a Kadugolla Development Corporation last month, just before the bypolls to the Sira and RR Nagar Assembly seats. The decision was seen as an effort to reach out to the Golla community voters in Sira. On Tuesday, the government ordered the formation of a corporation for the politically influential Veerashaiva-Lingayat community after several of the legislators demanded one.

An elaborate standard operating procedure including temperature check, verification of Covid-19 test reports and use of hand sanitisers was put in place at St Joseph’s College in the city as the institute reopened after a gap of eight months on Tuesday. Although the state government has given permission to reopen colleges, many colleges remained shut on the first day as managements fear the spread of infection on campuses.