Minister Lakshmi Hebbalkar remarks over Belagavi draws rebuke from Oppn
Belagavi, Jan 8: The opposition BJP and JD(S) on Monday rallied against Karnataka Minister Lakshmi Hebbalkar after her recent statement on Belagavi being 'a part of Maharashtra before Independence'.
Hebbalkar, a native of Belagavi, had made the comments recently while speaking at a Kannada litterateurs meet at Karadaga village here.
"Before independence, Karnataka and Maharashtra had many commonalities. Belagavi was a part of Maharashtra and we were living with warmth," the Woman and Child Welfare Minister said, remarking that people here are "blessed" to have been born in Karnataka.
Kannada litterateurs have made the people aware of the rich Kannada language, culture, land, water and the state's heritage, she added.
"Karnataka has given eight Jnanpith awardees. Our literature, art and culture is such a matter of pride and joy for us," she said.
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Her statement on Belagavi being a part of Maharashtra before independence drew sharp criticism from the opposition parties today.
State BJP President B Y Vijayendra said that with these comments, the minister had attempted to disturb the sovereignty of Karnataka and the linguistic harmony at the inter-state border. He called for her immediate dismissal from the state cabinet.
"It is nothing but a political gimmick of the minister occupying a responsible post, who takes pride in calling herself a 'Kannadatti' (native of Karnataka), to set a harmonious society on fire in this election season.
"Let Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, who makes long speeches about commitment to Kannada, dismiss the disloyal minister Lakshmi Hebbalkar from the cabinet immediately. Let him thereby show their real concern for the sovereignty and linguistic harmony of Karnataka," Vijayendra said.
Criticising the minister, former Chief Minister and JD(S) leader H D Kumaraswamy said that she has not yet come out of her "infatuation" for Maharashtra.
"People in responsible positions should not speak like this. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah should teach the minister properly," Kumaraswamy said.
Leader of opposition in the Karnataka assembly R Ashoka charged the minister with indulging in "vote bank politics."
"When there is so much agitation happening over the border row, when the Maharashtra Ekikaran Samiti miscreants create so much ruckus in the state, the minister's statement was for vote bank politics. Parliament elections are approaching and she wants to rekindle the issue," the BJP leader said, alleging that Hebbalkar had "hurt the sentiments of Kannadigas."
The border row over Belagavi between Karnataka and Maharashtra dates back to 1957 when states were reorganised on linguistic lines. Maharashtra laid claim to Belagavi, which was part of the erstwhile Bombay Presidency, as it had a sizable Marathi-speaking population.
It also laid claim to over 800 Marathi-speaking villages which are currently part of Karnataka.
Karnataka maintains that the demarcation done on linguistic lines as per the States Reorganisation Act and the 1967 Mahajan Commission Report is final.
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Sujit Nair raises concerns over speculation of DMK-AIADMK understanding to block TVK
Chennai: Journalist and political commentator Sujit Nair has expressed concern over speculation that the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam and the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam could explore a post-poll understanding to prevent Vijay-led Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam from forming the government in Tamil Nadu.
In a social media post, Sujit Nair said the election verdict in Tamil Nadu reflected a clear public demand for political change and argued that the mandate should be respected irrespective of political preferences.
Referring to reports and political discussions surrounding a possible understanding between the DMK and AIADMK, he said he hoped such developments remained only speculative conversations and did not turn into reality.
Nair stated that if such an alliance were to take shape, it would raise serious questions about ideological politics in the country. He said TVK had emerged through a democratic electoral process and that the legitimacy to govern in a parliamentary democracy comes from the people’s verdict.
According to him, attempts to prevent an electoral winner from forming the government through unexpected political arrangements may be constitutionally valid, but many people could view them as politically opportunistic.
He further said that such a move could particularly affect the political image of the DMK, which has historically projected itself around ideology, social justice and opposition politics. Nair said that in ideological terms, the DMK appeared closer to TVK than to the AIADMK, and joining hands with its long-time political rival only to remain in power could weaken its broader political narrative.
He added that the same questions would apply to the AIADMK as well, as the party had spent decades positioning itself against the DMK and such an arrangement could create discomfort among its cadre and supporters.
Drawing a comparison with Maharashtra politics in 2019, Nair said he had expressed similar views when the Shiv Sena formed an alliance with the Indian National Congress and the Nationalist Congress Party after the Assembly elections.
He said post-poll alliances between long-standing political rivals often create a public perception that ideology and electoral mandates become secondary when political power equations come into play.
Nair also said such developments increase public cynicism towards politics and reinforce the belief among voters that ideology is often sidelined after elections.
He maintained that the Tamil Nadu verdict was emphatic and said respecting both the spirit and substance of the mandate was important for the credibility of democratic politics.
