From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network

Bengaluru, Nov 28: The state unit of BJP has lambasted the HD Kumaraswamy-led JD(S)-Congress coalition government for cancelling the famous Hampi Utsav in Ballari while it had celebrated Tipu Jayathi on a grand manner.

The State Government has decided to cancel the annual Hampi Utsav in the light of drought conditions prevailing in the State.

Karnataka BJP has tweeted: “Pseudo secular govt in Karnataka had all money & reason to celebrate Tippu’s jayanthi but it cancelled Hampi Utsav Citing drought excuse. For this govt A Fanatic & Persian language imposer is pride of Karnataka But celebrating golden era of Vijayanagar kingdom is burden.”

B S Yeddyurappa

Water Resources Minister D.K. Shivakumar, who is also in charge of Ballari district, said 100 taluks across the State, including all the taluks in Ballari, are drought-hit, and it would be inappropriate to hold the Hampi Utsav at this point in time.

The BJP would take this issue to the people of the Hyderabad-Karnataka region to gain mileage out it. Since Hampi Utsav had been celebrated for many years, the drought reason would not be a good one for cancellation of the festival, BJP said.

Moreover, the State Government has celebrated the Mysore Dasara on a grand manner.

However, artistes are pressurising the state government to hold the event.

The State Government has to take into consideration the conditions prevailing in the state, he said. He added that Hampi Utsav would be held next year as usual.

According to Shivakumar, the three-day extravaganza was initially scheduled to be held from November 3, but was subsequently postponed to the last week of November.

The minister said BJP might rake up any issue to gain political mileage even at the cost of people in the drought-affected regions in the State. "Whose money was spent in Gujarat on Sardar Patel’s statue? Did they not spent huge amounts in Gujarat? Let them not teach lessons to others,’’ he said.