Hunger stir for Bijapur

BIJAPUR, Nov 3: Denizens of Sawalgi and 27 other villages in Jamkhandi and Bilgi talukas of neighbouring Karnataka have resorted to five-day...

BIJAPUR, Nov 3: Denizens of Sawalgi and 27 other villages in Jamkhandi and Bilgi talukas of neighbouring Karnataka have resorted to five-day-old relay hunger strike pressing for their repatriation to Bijapur district.

The villagers’ action committee has been opposing a Karnataka government plan to attach these 28 villages to the newly formed Bagalkot district. According to action committee leaders, Sushil Kumar Belagli and Mallappa Nandrekar, stated that they were opposing bifurcation of the districts for past four years. Speaking to this reporter, the committee leaders who had undertaken relay hunger strike at Sawalgi stated that their pleas to the district bifurcation committee were overlooked and a unilateral decision was resorted to.

The people of 28 villages also had boycotted a function marking formation of Bagalokot district, last year, the leaders said. The agitating villages although form part of Jamkhandi taluka, since Independence they have been under Bilgi assembly constituency, they added.

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On their resentments to be in Bagalkot district, the action committee leaders stated that their villages were far from Bagalkot which has been headquarters of district and it would really be strenuous for their people to reach Bagalkot and get their works done. “All our business and social ties are more with Bijapur than Bagalkot. Even agriculturists and horticulturists of this area are still taking their products to Bijapur market,” the action committee leaders said.

The issue has hopelessly been dangling, despite assurances from the Bijapur unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party Unit and Karnataka youth service and sports minister Ajaykumar Sarnaik to resolve the issue.

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