If VTU is bifurcated, bifurcate the state and do not check our tolerance

During the presentation of Karnataka State Budget for 2019-20 an announcement made to bifurcate the Visvesvaraya Technological University into two, so as to establish one such Technological University in Hasan came as a big shock to all of us in North Karnataka. People of this region, take it as a continuing process of causing an increased imbalance in the development of North Karnataka, for which there is already an uproar in the assembly sessions and number of well-reasoned representations given to decision taking leaders, in the last 4 to 5 years.

Intellectuals, Educationalists, Businessmen, Industrialists, Lawyers, Chartered Accountants, Architects, Doctors, Engineers today met at Foundry Cluster to make way for their dissent and was decided that on Tuesday at 11.30 AM another meeting has been called where even elected representatives and heads or other organizations who are opposing the Split have been invited to finalize the memorandum to be given to the Govt.

At the meeting, it was a voice in common that, Our Patience need not be taken as weakness. It is such uneven development done in the past, and still happening fast year by year, has made us think of a separate state.
Before our voice becomes a Tigers roar, to damage your eardrums, it is inevitable and urgent to set the matters right, and this can be done by launching all-round development in all parts of North Karnataka establish even major, medium and small scale industries by creating necessary industrial environments, modernise towns and cities of this part, & also by establishing the best institutions of education, health & agriculture.

Now, the latest decision of bifurcating the V T U, one of the fast developing, best technological University in Belagavi, is most unfortunate and unjustifiable. In this connection, the report of Shri S.G. Balekundri Committee explaining the reasons for the establishment of Technical University in Belagavi may be referred once again. This report justifies the valid reasons for establishing Technological University only in Belagavi

Reasons advanced by Government in bifurcating V.T.U. and taking half of it to Hasan is also not justifiable and not at all convincing. Geographical reasons and long distance for students of Bengaluru, Mysore, Mandya, Hasan, Tumkur, Kolar, Chikkamangalore, Mangalore, Chikkaballapur cannot be accepted for bifurcating the V.T.U.. In that case on this analogy,

1. Rajiv Gandhi Health University has also to be bifurcated, establishing one in Belagavi

2. Many manor industries in and around Bengaluru are to be shifted to suitable places of North Karnataka. This will also reduce the pollution and increasing infrastructure needs of Bengaluru which is bursting it seems.

3. If the distance of students of old Mysore is the reason for the bifurcation of V.T.U., then on the same analogy, one more capital has to start function immediately in “Suvarna Soudha”, Belagavi for the convenience and to facilitate easy work for all the people in North Karnataka, who have to travel long distance to reach Bengaluru.

The above justifiable demands are also based on the same analogy geographical reasons and reasons of distance & cost.

If they cannot be met with immediate, on the same grounds, we, all people of this reason, strongly, and unitedly oppose the bifurcation of Visvesvaraya Technological University of Belagavi.

Ram Bhandare, Chairman Foundry Cluster said It is high time then, the state has to be split now. Constant injustice to Belagavi cannot be tolerated.

Professional ForumChairman BS Patil said it is an injustice to North Karnataka as a whole we can’t tolerate this.

Senior journalist MK Hedge expressed his views saying a budget is one place where we aspire to get new plans and funds, but now we are here getting ill-treated.

VTU Senate Member Vijay K expressed that we have been patient to date. The government has decided to divide without asking the university’s opinion. He said the government did not play the breakthrough of Rajiv Gandhi University, which is more stressed than VTU.

Rajuchikkin Gowder, a member of the RCU, we have to sport a brave fight against this injustice.

Businessman Mallikarjuna Jagjampi, we have been exploited always, even after been the second highest taxpayer what have got in return. This exploitation must stop or make a separate state.

Advocate Raviraj Patil said we should all go and meet the Chief Minister and the Governor and it should be headed by District in-charge minister and MLAs, MP’s of this area.

President of the Small Industries Association Rohan Jwali, CM has no time to speak to us when we go to Bengaluru, we must protest strongly.

Qais Noorani, of CREDAI said Split VTU and Split the state as well and give us what we deserve.

Entrepreneur Rohit Deshpande made a point that students should be included in this fight against injustice.

Dr. Sonali Sarnobat said all the colleges urged women’s organizations will support this injustice. Chaitnaya Kulkarni took the inittative to to hold this meeting.