Bengaluru (Karnataka) [India], September 21 : Congress MLA and former Karnataka minister HK Patil has written a letter to Karnataka Chief Minister DK Shivakumar stating that Gadag should be declared drought-affected as soon as possible. 
The minister accused state officials of misinterpreting data and deliberately bypassing directives to declare the severely hit Gadag district as drought-affected
Patil revealed that he formally wrote to the Chief Minister, detailing the sequence of events, noting that a local consensus was reached alongside District Minister Bayareddy to officially classify the entire Gadag district and specifically Gadag taluk as drought-hit. However, these resolutions were allegedly stonewalled by officials.
He said, “After a meeting with our District Minister, Mr Bayareddy, we all were convinced that there is a drought, and we resolved in our MLAs' meeting that Gadag district as such is to be declared drought-hit, not only Gadag taluk. And we very specifically said Gadag taluk is also to be declared as drought-hit. Unfortunately, that was not conceded by the officers.”
Karnataka Minister further pointed out that the Chief Minister personally inspected the area on September 1, travelling extensively from Kadampur to Kursakoppa, and was deeply disturbed by the extent of crop failure.
“The Chief Minister, looking at the situation and also the reports received through the media about the drought in Gadag taluk, chose Gadag to visit first. He came to Gadag on 1st September, and he went right from Kadampur to Kursakoppa. And he was fully convinced. He was really very unhappy and disturbed because of the grave situation being faced by farmers,” he added.
Congress leader H.K. Patil stated that despite direct instructions from the top leadership, administrative bodies allegedly excluded Gadag while granting status to regions with lower deficits.
“Unfortunately, despite his instructions, the officers have chosen to avoid Gadag. Where there is a 20% deficit, these officers have declared them as drought-affected. In Gadag, it is minus 49%. Gadag is at minus 49%, and they have chosen to keep it aside,” HK Patil said.
Patil accused local officials of willfully misinterpreting data and denying crucial relief to farmers despite a severe 49% rainfall deficit and total crop failure, and emphasised that the agrarian devastation is backed by statistics and has been witnessed firsthand by top leadership, including the Chief Minister.
He said, “Compared to the average, the deficit is 49%. And there is no crop at all. It has been seen by the Chief Minister, seen by the District Minister, seen by the officials who accompanied the Chief Minister. And statistics are available. They are doing this in declaring drought, and they have also done this to Gadag as far as crop insurance is concerned. They are unnecessarily interpreting it wrongly and putting Gadag into difficulty.”
Setting a clear timeline for his ultimate course of action, Patil declared he would escalate his persuasion efforts until Gandhi Jayanti, failing which he would step down.
He said, “That's why I have said that through this three-day session, I will try to put whatever political pressure on the government. I will use this forum to convince everyone. And if, for any reason, I fail, I will continue my persuasion till 2nd October, Gandhi Jayanti. If nothing happens even till then, between 2nd and 10th October, I will decide to resign my legislatorship.”
Patil voiced serious concern over the disconnect between the visible distress on the ground and the administrative response, pointing out that even direct instructions from the Chief Minister were being disregarded by the bureaucracy.
“I am terribly concerned that what is seen by the eyes is not being translated into action. And when the Chief Minister's instructions are not carried out by these officers, it is very unfortunate. I have already brought it to the notice of the Hon'ble Chief Minister through my letter about Gadag,” he added.
Patil questioned how the administration expects to retain public trust when empirical distress on the ground is ignored. He criticised authorities for leaning on flawed data systems while cultivators suffer.
He said, "See, your media reports also say the whole of North Karnataka is reeling under drought. 27 out of 73 taluks in North Karnataka - that is Kittur Karnataka, Belagavi division - are totally left out while declaring drought-hit areas. 27 out of 73. What is the rationale? How will you take people into confidence? Some say we bank on rain gauges. You have seen in newspapers how many of them are working and how many are not working. And what are these people doing, almost acting like British officers, which we can't tolerate? Farmers can't tolerate.”
Reiterating his dual loyalty as both a member of the ruling establishment and a representative of distressed cultivators, Patil stressed that immediate executive intervention is non-negotiable to prevent widespread agrarian ruin.
“I am concerned about my government. I am more concerned about people and farmers. Poor farmers should not be allowed to suffer like this,” Patil said.
HK Patil further defended the state cabinet’s decision to restrict the national song Vande Mataram to its first two stanzas at official state functions, emphasising that the move respects historical guidelines established by foundational national leaders.
“See, this Vande Mataram, which has been reduced to two stanzas, is the decision of Jawaharlal Nehru, Subhash Chandra Bose, and Rabindranath Tagore. This history cannot be forgotten. For political reasons, you can't take any decision that you want. I wish wisdom prevails,” HK Patil said.