Cong in favour of special status to HK region: Parameshwar

HUBLI: Terming union home minister P Chidambaram's comments on according special status to Hyderabad Karnataka under Article 371 as his personal opinion, KPCC president G Parameshwar has said that the Congress is committed towards according special status to Hyderabad Karnataka to facilitate its development.
Speaking to reporters here on Sunday, Parameshwar said Congress leaders from Karnataka would appraise the high command and home minister on the need for special status to the HK region.
It was in fact the Congress under the leadership of the then chief minister S M Krishna, which had moved the proposal in this regard. It was Krishna who appointed D M Nanjundappa led committee on regional imbalance to look into the issues of backward areas and suggest recommendations, he said.
He said Nanjundappa committee had recommended allocation of Rs 19,000 crore over a period of seven years for the development of backward areas. However, he admitted that all political parties including Congress had failed in initiating required steps including allocation of funds.
BSY ignored recommendations
He said in the last six years only Rs 4,500 crore had been spent for the development of backward areas. The last six budgets presented by Yeddyurappa have ignored the recommendations of the committee, he alleged.
Parameshwar said the Congress was aware that injustice had been meted out to Karnataka with regard to railway demands and the party would appeal to the Union ministers to take up remedial steps.
He lambasted tourism minister G Janardhan Reddy for consistently ignoring the court summons and said it showed his utter disregard for the law of the land. The party will raise the issue during the legislature session, he said.
Parameshwar was in city to take part in the 15th convention of the Akhila Karnataka Kshatriya Mahasabha and the mass marriage organised on the occasion.