Border Protection Panel Chief Submits Draft Terms

Karnataka Border Protection Commission head Justice V S Malimath submitted its comprehensive terms of reference to the state government.

BENGALURU: Karnataka Border Protection Commission headed by Justice V S Malimath has submitted its comprehensive terms of reference to the state government.

The commission aims to take up issues such as the protection of Kannadigas and the state’s border.

The state government constituted it on June 22, 2015 and appointed Justice Malimath as its chairman. K N Jinadat Desai and S M Kulkarni were appointed members. This commission will replace the earlier Special Legal Advisory Committee, which was limited to deal with only Belagavi border dispute with Maharashtra.

Justice Malimath took charge as the chairman on June 22. He insisted the government to give a wider mandate to the commission to protect all the border areas of the state and also interests of Kannadigas both in the state and outside.

Hence the government asked him to furnish comprehensive terms and reference. The terms suggested are: to tender advice on effective conduct of cases pending before the Supreme Court and to advise the government on protecting the borders of Karnataka; to advise the government on protecting the interests of Kannada-speaking people residing not only in border areas but also elsewhere in India and abroad; to advise the government on protecting the interests of linguistic minorities; and, to advise the government on taking adequate measures to protect and promote the interests of Kannada-speaking people in Kasargod and other border states in the light of the Mahajan Commission report. At present, the commission has only six staff. “We need a district judge and two research scholars. I have already got in touch with some research scholars. They need to study the various border issues and prepare documents to represent the state strongly before the apex court which will take up the matter for hearing,”

Malimath told Express.

He expressed displeasure over the lack of concern among people of South Karnataka about protection of the border. The people of North Karnataka show more commitment on border issues than those in the south. The elected representatives too are not showing any interest in protecting the border in Belgaum region, he said. “We should have a burning passion for the cause ... Otherwise we will lose 4,749.2 square miles which includes 260 villages in the Karnataka-Maharashtra border,” he said.

On its terms of reference, he said, “I will say that the state cannot abdicate its responsibility on protecting the integrity of the state of Karnataka and people of Karnataka wherever they reside in the world.”

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