new clours : Uttara Karnataka Horata Samiti president Bhimappa Gagad and other members display saffron, yellow... Read More

Belagavi: The Uttara Karnataka Horata Samiti (UKHS), led by state president Bhimappa Gadad is all set to hoist a North Karnataka flag in front of the Suvarna Vidhana Soudha ( SVS ) here on Tuesday. The saffron, yellow and green flag has the map of North Karnataka with 13 districts in the centre.

The Samiti has made hundreds of shawls in the same colours for the occasion.

Several seers from the region, led by Pancham Shivalingeshwar Swami of Nidasodi, also honorary president, UKHS, have come forward to support the movement. They’ll protest in front of the SVS main gate to demand the immediate shifting of the secretariat-level offices there.

On Monday, Gadad said, “We heard that BJP state president BS Yeddyurappa will visit the dharna spot on Tuesday to talk to agitating seers. If the government doesn’t respond positively, the flag of the separate state will be hoisted there after a discussion with the seers.”

UKHS general secretary Nagesh Golashetti said it would not be the first time a flag for a separate state will be hoisted. “Panchamlingeshwar Swami of Nidasodi was the first to hoist this flag and it was done the second time by Nadoja Patil Puttappa in Hubballi 19 years ago. Three years ago, Gadad had hoisted the flag and Mahadayi Horata Samiti leader Vijay Kulkarni hoisted a separate flag in Badami. On November 1, 2016, this flag was hoisted atop the UKHS office in Mudhol,” he added.

Golashetti said hoisting a separate flag was not wrong and it was one way of protesting.

Won’t support hoisting flag: UKVV

Meanwhile, Uttara Karnataka Vikas Vedike (UKVV) leader Ashok Pujari said there’s no scope for hoisting a flag supporting separate statehood during the protest by seers in front of the SVS. “Our priority is to put pressure on the government for the development of North Karnataka and including shifting of secretariat-level offices to SVS. Separate statehood will be the last option,” he said.

