The Hindu
Belgaum, Aug 23: Several Kannada organisations, under the banner of Belgaum District Kannada Organisations Action Committee, and members of different political parties joined hands on Wednesday to protest against Union Home Minister Shivraj Patil’s alleged partisan attitude towards Karnataka on the issue of renaming Belgaum as Belagavi.
They staged a demonstration at Rani Chennamma Circle and shouted slogans against Mr. Patil for the Union Government’s decision not to clear the State’s proposal to change the name of Belgaum to Belagavi while clearing the renaming with regard to other places.
Those who participated in the protest included members of Kannada Rakshana Vedike, Youth Congress, Janata Dal (Secular) and the Bharatiya Janata Party. Committee president Ashok Chandargi, Youth Congress leader Vijay Shetty and Kannada activist Srinivas Talukar led the protest.
They said the Centre should not have any objection to renaming Belgaum as Belagavi as long as it was an integral part of Karnataka. Also, the Centre should not take any partisan attitude to protect the interests of Congress-led Government in Maharashtra or a particular linguistic community.
Mr. Chandargi said 17 members of Parliament from Karnataka would meet Mr. Patil in New Delhi to convey the concerns of State Government and the people of the State and pressurise him on immediate approval for “Belagavi.”