The agitation committee advocating for a separate Dharwad Municipal Corporation has withdrawn its call for a bandh in Dharwad on Saturday. However, the committee has affirmed that its peaceful agitation will persist until the state government issues a formal notification for the creation of the new municipal body.
Decision at Committee Meeting
The decision to retract the bandh call was finalized during a meeting of committee members and representatives from various organizations supporting the movement, held on Wednesday in Dharwad. The meeting came shortly after Governor Thaawar Chand Gehlot granted conditional approval to the state government's proposal for establishing a Dharwad Municipal Corporation on Tuesday. With the governor's nod, the responsibility now lies with the state government to proceed further.
During the meeting, several members emphasized the need to bring the agitation to a logical conclusion without causing inconvenience to the public. This consensus led to the withdrawal of the bandh call. Nonetheless, the committee made it clear that the agitation would continue in various forms to maintain pressure on the government.
Mayor Accuses Congress of Politicizing Issue
Meanwhile, Mayor Jyothi Patil criticized the Congress government for allegedly politicizing the demand for a separate Dharwad Municipal Corporation. She highlighted that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) had initiated the proposal while in power in the civic body. Patil stated that the resolution seeking a separate corporation for Dharwad received unanimous support in the council before being forwarded to the state government and then to the governor.
Patil accused the Congress government of remaining silent on the issue for 11 months and failing to respond to queries raised by the governor. She alleged that Congress leaders were now unfairly blaming the BJP, despite the party's efforts to secure the governor's approval. Furthermore, she claimed that the state government had neglected North Karnataka and failed to provide adequate grants to the Hubballi-Dharwad Municipal Corporation.
The agitation committee has reiterated its commitment to peaceful protests and will continue to pressurize the state government until the notification for a separate Dharwad Municipal Corporation is issued.
