VISAKHAPATNAM: The row over Kotia villages on the border of Andhra Pradesh and Odisha has surfaced again following Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan’s remarks against the AP government and the AP police during his visit to the disputed villages on the occasion of Odisha Formation Day.
The Union Minister had reportedly questioned the presence of the AP police in the village and asked them to go back, besides making some remarks against the AP government. Speaking to mediapersons on Sunday, Deputy Chief Minister (Tribal Welfare) Peedika Rajanna Dora urged the Union Minister to withdraw his controversial remarks.
He said Kotia is a group of 21 villages on AP-Odisha border and on which there has been a dispute between the two States since Independence. Odisha filed a petition in the Supreme Court in 1968 on the disputed land and the court on December 2, 1968 asked both the States to observe restraint and ordered status quo on disputed villages following mutual consent given by both AP and Odisha. As per the order, officials and ministers belonging to both the States can visit the villages. No one has the right to stop anyone from visiting Kotia villages, he explained.
He felt that the Union Minister should have observed restraint on the issue. Despite the status quo, it was unfortunate that the Union Minister claimed that the villages belong to Odisha and asked the AP police to go back. Dharmendra Pradhan should respect the court verdict as its violation will be a contempt of court, he observed.
The Deputy Chief Minister further said negotiations are going on between the two States on the issue following a meeting between Chief Ministers Naveen Patnaik and YS Jagan Mohan Reddy.“Andhra Pradesh has been observing utmost restraint in view of bilateral talks to resolve several issues,” he said.
As per the Supreme Court order in 2006, status quo will be in force till both the States reach mutual agreement on the issue. The final verdict will be given based on the mutual agreement, he added.