MUMBAI: In the escalating showdown over the boundary row, Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis condemned Karnataka leaders for making frivolous claims over Mumbai and for making Mumbai the Union Territory.
He said Mumbai belongs to Maharashtra only, and that no one can lay one’s claim over it. He said the state government will complain against Karnataka leaders to Home Minister Amit Shah for their frivolous statements.
While speaking in the state assembly in Nagpur, Fadnavis said the Maharashtra House passed a resolution demanding 865 Marathi-speaking villages of Karnataka, which is in tandem with the case pending in the Supreme Court.
He said the claim by the Karnataka minister, MLAs and the state Congress chief violated the agreement made with Karnataka CM Basvaraj Bommai. “Their claim over Mumbai is completely wrong. We will not tolerate such a claim. We condemn such acts of Karnataka leaders. The violations of the agreement finalized before the Home Minister is not good for the bilateral relationship of the two states. We will convey the message in strong words to them,” said Deputy chief minister .
Leader of the Opposition Ajit Pawar said the Karnataka CM was making anti-Maharashtra statements. “We are not strong, therefore, they are issuing such statements and hurting our sentiments,” he said.
The demand for making Mumbai as UT is like rubbing salt over the wounds of Maharashtra and the Marathi people living on the Karnataka border, said Pawar. “The sentiments of Maharashtra should be conveyed to the Union Home Minister,” he said.
Bommai’s anti-Maha statement, says Pawar
Leader of Opposition Ajit Pawar said Karnataka CM Basavaraj Bommai was making anti-Maharashtra statements. The demand for making Mumbai as UT is like rubbing salt over the wounds of Maharashtra and the Marathi people living on the Karnataka border, said Pawar