People of Hosanagara take out padayatra, demand Assembly constituency status

Residents of Hosanagara taluk in Shivamogga took out a 48-km padayatra from Nagara to Ripponpet, demanding that the taluk be declared a separate Assembly constituency. Hundreds of people, including the youth, senior citizens, schoolchildren, women, former elected representatives, and seers participated, raising slogans in favour of their demand.

Among those who led the march were Swamy Rao, a three-time MLA, Abhinava Channabasava Swami of Mulegadde Mutt, and leaders of the BJP and Congress. “It is a people’s movement, not by any political party or a group of people,” said 95-year-old Mr. Rao. Before the delimitation of Assembly constituencies in 2008, the Hosanagara constituency existed, and areas were shared among the Tirthahalli, Sagar, and Shivamogga Assembly segments during the last delimitation.

Hosanagara, nestled in the Western Ghats, receives an annual rainfall of about 3,000 mm, the highest in the district. The place is known for dams that were built to generate power. “Our people gave up land and faced displacement for the construction of dams for hydroelectric projects. But our lives are in the dark. There is no one exclusively for our taluk to raise a voice on our behalf in the Assembly,” Mr. Rao remarked.

The former MLA stated that following the delimitation in 2008, the erstwhile constituency was scattered. “Hosanagara town is divided. While one half is in the Tirthahalli constituency, the other is with the Sagar constituency. Similarly, many villages are divided. The place where we are standing at right now is in Sagar constituency, while a few metres away from here is in Tirthahalli,” he pointed out while speaking to the media at C.D. Halla during the padayatra on Monday (April 6).

The people participating in the march want a constituency consisting of Nagara, Kerehalli, Huncha, and Ripponpet hoblis, besides Hosanagara town. “As per the previous census, the total population in the taluk is about 1.5 lakh. We want the taluk to be declared a separate constituency in the next delimitation process,” said Kalagodu Rathnakar, former president of Shivamogga Zilla Panchayat. He pointed out that the taluk lacks basic amenities like power supply and roads. “A majority of the area in the taluk is denied quality power supply. There are restrictions to set up 110 kV substations. There are no roads to many locations,” he added.

The padayatra was inaugurated at Nagara on Sunday (April 5) and concluded at Ripponpet on Monday (April 6). Araga Jnanendra, Tirthahalli MLA of the BJP, Beluru Gopala Krishna, Sagar MLA of the Congress, and others participated in the march and extended their support to the cause. Along the march, people welcomed the protesters and offered them food, fruits, and juice. The march ended with a public meeting at Ripponpet.