Bandh call withdrawn, Dharwad agitation to continue

Dharwad: The agitation committee for a separate Dharwad Municipal Corporation has withdrawn its call for a bandh in Dharwad on Saturday and said its peaceful agitation will continue until the state govt issues a notification for the creation of a separate Dharwad Municipal Corporation.

The decision was taken at a meeting of committee members and representatives of various organisations supporting the agitation, held here on Wednesday. Governor Thaawar Chand Gehlot on Tuesday gave conditional approval to the state govt’s proposal for establishing a Dharwad Municipal Corporation, and the ball is now in the state govt’s court.

At the meeting, several members suggested that the agitation should be taken to a logical conclusion without inconveniencing the public, leading to the decision to withdraw the bandh call. However, the committee said the agitation would continue in different forms to keep pressure on the govt.

Mayor blames Congress

Meanwhile, mayor Jyothi Patil accused the Congress govt of politicising the demand for a separate Dharwad Municipal Corporation, stating that the BJP had initiated the proposal while in power in the civic body. She said the resolution seeking a separate corporation for Dharwad had received unanimous support in the council before being forwarded to the state govt and later to the governor.

Patil alleged that the Congress govt remained silent on the issue for 11 months and failed to respond to queries raised by the governor. She said Congress leaders were now unfairly blaming the BJP despite the party’s efforts to secure the governor’s approval.

She further claimed that the state govt had neglected North Karnataka and failed to provide adequate grants to the Hubballi-Dharwad Municipal Corporation.