It’s Karnataka Rajyotsava- but what shall we celebrate?

It was on November 1, 1956 that the State of Karnataka was formed and every year on this day the State celebrates its birthday. Supposedly, it’s a time to celebrate State’s achievements. But what achievements can the present government boast of? Should we celebrate as the BJP government has ‘managed’ to win the trust vote? Or should we celebrate because the government has ‘managed’ to find 162 persons for Rajyotsava awards? If the former has, at least temporarily, freed us from political instability, the latter hasn't been free from controversy either. It is indeed sad that this present government cannot boast of any better achievement/s .

As the most corrupt State, with pathetic roads and severe power shortage, by forcibly displacing the farmers and by letting loose the Hindu fundamentalists, State’s failures have obviously outnumbered its feats and have pushed this State backward.

‘Congress cannot make Karnataka another Gujarat only the BJP can’ thundered Narendra Modi when he visited this State in 2008. It is true that the BJP government has selectively tried to replicate the Gujarat model by communally dividing this State but its a pity that it hasn’t embraced the development model of Gujarat.

Once a peaceful, politically stable Karnataka State has now turned into a hotbed of political chicanery and corruption of the lowest kind. Will this State soon join the ranks of BIMARU (acronym for backward states- Bihar, MP, Assam, Rajasthan, UP) States?