Pro-Kannadiga party threatens to declare bandh

Vatal says his organization will declare a statewide strike if its demands are not met.

By Bhanu Teja

BANGALORE (Nov. 29)—Three pro-Kannada groups today declared that it will stage a protest in front of the Raj Bhavan governor’s residence on Dec. 8 to “wake the government from its coma.”

The move comes in response to a statement made by Bal Thackery of the Marathi right-wing group, the Shiv Sena, threatening noted Kannada author and Jnanpith awardee Chandrasekhar Kambar.

Vatal Nagaraj, leader of the Kannada Chalavali Vatal Paksha, said that if the party’s demands are not met “we will declare a statewide bandh [general strike] on December 23rd.”

The three groups, the KCVP, the Karnataka Dalit Sangharsh Samiti and the Dr. Rajkumar Abhimana Sangha, are demanding that the Belgaum Municipal Corporation, which is run by the Marathi-friendly Maharashtra Ekikaran Samiti, be superseded by the state government.

When asked to comment on statements made by Kambar that might have prompted the Shiv Sena response, Nagaraj responded by saying, “Chandrashekhar Kambar is god.”

Kambar allegedly made a statement saying that Marathas that want to study in their own language should go back to Maharashtra.

Three prominent Kanadiga groups came together to protest comments made by the Shiv Sena.

Violence on the horizon

The city of Belgaum which lies on the Karnataka-Maharashtra border has been the center of conflict between the two ethnic groups since the states boundaries were declared.

As of yet there have been no violent incidents, but with the bandh on the horizon, tempers are simmering.

“We are warning the Shiv Sena that if they try to do anything to Kannadigas in Mumbai or in Maharashtra, then we will start doing the same here,” said Sara Govindu, president of Dr. Rajkumar Abhimaan Sangha.