The Hindu

It is demanding the inclusion of Kasargod into the State 

• Activists to go in a `vehicle jatha' up to Kerala border
• Vedike issues a seven-point charter of demands

Mangalore, May 22: Karnataka Rakshana Vedike has announced its intention to "violate" the Kerala border on May 29 seeking the inclusion of Kasargod into Karnataka as recommended in the Mahajan Commission report. Activists of the vedike from all parts of the state will gather in the city and go in a "vehicle jatha" up to the state's border with Kerala border at Talapady near here and then try to enter Kerala in an attempt to "reclaim" Kasargod.

State president of the vedike H Shivarame Gowda told presspersons here on Monday May 21, that while this was the tentative plan of action chalked out for May 29, the vedike would inform the people of the exact programme through the media before the event.

Gowda said that the main intention of the jatha was to draw the attention of the state government to the aspirations of the people of the state on Kasargod.

The vedike will strive to bring pressure on the Government to formulate and announce special schemes for the development of the border areas of the State and will urge the State and Union governments to take steps to implement the Mahajan Commission report. Gowda said that writers, intellectuals and people who have fought for the inclusion of Kasargod into Karnataka would participate in the jatha.

He also put forth a seven-point charter of demands, which the vedike would seek to highlight through the jatha. It included demands for an immediate implementation of the Mahajan Commission report, a restoration of the quota announced by the State Government for Gadinada Kannadigas seeking admissions to Pre-University courses in the State, and compulsory use of Kannada name boards by all government and private organisations in the border areas.

The vedike has called for the enactment of a special law under which it would be mandatory for the Kannada flag to be hoisted throughout the State, including in the border areas, on national and State festival days. Gowda said that the vedike would seek a ban on the alleged use of endosulphan by the Kerala Government on its cashew plantations and would demand special medical facilities for Gadinada Kannadigas affected by the problem.

State working president of the vedike Praveen Kumar Shetty was present.