Time ripe to demand separate Tulu state - Harikrishna Punaroor

Time ripe to demand separate Tulu state - Harikrishna Punaroor

Mangalore Today News Network

Mangalore, July 6, 2011: Harikrishna Punaroor, the former president of the State Kannada Sahitya Parishad, said that the time is ripe to carve out a separate Tulu state.

Stating that the Telugas have been demanding a separate state called Telengana in Andhra Pradesh, he said that Tuluvas should exert pressure on the union government to grant the status of a state on Tuluadu if it agrees to the demands of the Telugas. He also said that a separate Tulu state is essential to preserve the identity of the Tulu-speaking people.

Criticizing the local leaders who had done a lot of injustice to the Tulu people by not demanding a separate state at the time of reorganizing the states in 1956, he said that Tulunadu has been witnessing a heavy influx of industries that are further destroying Tulu culture and identity.