Cong backs DMC stir, 12 corporators resign in Dharwad

Dharwad: The agitation demanding a separate Dharwad municipal corporation (DMC) gained momentum on Monday after the Congress party extended its support to the movement. Hubballi-Dharwad East MLA Prasad Abbayya visited the protest site near the HDMC office in Dharwad and expressed solidarity with the agitators.

The protest entered its 11th day on Monday, with members of various organisations continuing their sit-in demonstration, demanding an independent civic body for Dharwad.

In a symbolic show of support and to express resentment over the delay in the Governor granting assent to the Bill for the formation of the new corporation, 12 Congress corporators from Dharwad urban and rural areas submitted their resignation letters to their respective Block Congress presidents.

From Hubballi-Dharwad-74 constituency, corporators Kavita Kabber, Shambhu Salmani, Dr Mayur More, Parveen Desai, Ganesh Mudhol, Bilkisbanu Mulla and Manjunath Badakuri submitted their resignation letters to Block Congress president Gauri.

Similarly, from the Rural-71 constituency, corporators Rajashekhar Kamati, Suravva Patil, Dilshad Begum Nadaf, Deepa Neeralakatti and Prakash Ghatage handed over their resignation letters to Block Congress president Aravind Eganagoudar.

The corporators stated that safeguarding Dharwad’s self-respect and protecting its interests were more important than holding posts. They said their positions would be meaningless if a separate corporation was not formed, adding that the resignations were aimed at drawing the government’s attention and intensifying the agitation.

Murugha Mutt seer Mallikarjun Swamiji, members of the Christian Catholic community, representatives of the Holy Cross Church and members of the Vishwakarma community also extended support to the movement. They urged the govt to set up a separate corporation in the interest of Dharwad’s development and administrative efficiency.