With Katti’s death, demand for separate Statehood for N-K to lose life?
3 min read
Mysuru: Food and Civil Supplies Minister Umesh Katti who also held the additional charge of forest ministry till his passing away on Tuesday due to heart attack, was nothing new to controversy.
As is the case with those in public life, it wasn’t related to any scams, but for his straight forwarded manner of airing his opinion that earned him both brickbats and rose.
If one browses the internet about Katti, it is most obvious that the news related to Katti’s demand for separate statehood for North Karnataka, published in various newspapers, crop up.
Recently in the month of June too, Katti had raked up the issue renewing his demand for separate statehood for North Karnataka. Though his ‘old wine in a new bottle’ like demand didn’t go down well with the incumbent Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai, who countered his own cabinet colleague’s demand with his stand for ‘unified Karnataka’, Katti remained unfazed.
He went on to elaborate stating how the BJP led NDA government is firm on carving out 50 smaller states out of bigger States in the country and no doubt that Karnataka is also on the list.
Katti also had a reason to persistently move ahead with the demand as he was of the opinion that ‘North Karnataka lagged behind when it came to development comparatively with other regions of the State’.
On February last, Katti had also created a ripples when he told media about the plans to withdraw BPL cards to those owning TV, Motorcycle, fridge and five acres of land, only to withdraw his statement in a huff.
He had even expressed his desire to be the chief minister, considering his vast stint as a eight time MLA from Hukkeri and the experience that had moulded him as a minister in various cabinets of chief ministers J H Patel, H D Kumaraswamy, B S Yediyurappa and also the incumbent CM Basavaraj Bommai.
When B S Yediyurappa dislodged the JDS- Congress coalition government and reestablished BJP government in July 2019 and became the chief minister again, Katti was one of the strongest aspirants for the ministry.
However, disappointment was in store as Katti was denied Ministry leaving him sulking for long. More than that, what had upset him was the induction of defeated Athani BJP candidate and then sitting MLA Laxman Savadi as the deputy chief minister along with Govind Karjol and Dr C N Ashwath Narayan.
Savadi also a Veerashaiva- Lingayat had lost to Congress’ Mahesh Kumatahalli (now in BJP) in 2018 elections.
After much dilly-dallying, Katti finally got his due and was made the Food and Civil Supplies Minister with the additional charge of forest Ministry.
Undoubtedly one of the strongest Veerashaiva- Lingayat leaders of Belagavi region, Katti along with his brother and former MP Ramesh Katti had been the pillar of BJP, at least in this part, with former minister Ramesh Jarkiholi being a new entrant.
Besides, being a cooperative leader, Katti’s stake in sugar industries had also endeared him to the people of the region.
A perfect legate of his late father MLA Vishwanath Katti, Umesh Katti had continued with the legacy set by his father.
If one feels inquisitive about the meaning of the name Umesh Katti- Umesh means ‘Lord Shiva’ and ‘Katti’ means sword in Kannada. Yes, like the Lord, Umesh Katti lorded over the electorate and his outspokenness with razor sharp remarks truly denotes the suffix ‘Katti’.
May his soul ‘Rest in Peace’.
– Team Mysoorunews
Mysooru News
