BELAGAVI: Cutting across party lines, the Karnataka government and opposition leaders unanimously slammed a controversial resolution passed by the Maharashtra Legislative Council on Tuesday demanding the inclusion of 865 Karnataka villages into Maharashtra.
Hitting out at the Maharashtra government, Chief Minister Basvaraj Bommai said, “We strongly condemn the resolution. We are bound by the decision taken under the State Reorganisation Act, of 1956. People on both sides are living happily, but the boundary issue is being raked up by Maharashtra for political reasons time and again. It is a habit of Maharashtra to pass such resolutions.’’
The CM made it clear that there is no question of Karnataka parting with even an inch of its land and said that his government is committed to protecting the interests of Kannadigas. He said that a case on the border dispute is in the Supreme Court and his government has complete faith in the court.
“The Karnataka Assembly passed a resolution of not giving its land to other states, but at the same time, Maharashtra announces in its Council that it will take away our land. The controversial resolution passed by Maharashtra is against the spirit of federal structure,’’ he said.
Condemning Maharashtra’s move, Leader of Opposition in Karnataka Assembly Siddaramaiah said the resolution does not have any legal sanctity.
KPCC president DK Shivakumar termed the Maharashtra government’s move “politically motivated” and said even a single village from Karnataka will not go to Maharashtra. “We (Congress party) are with the state government in all measures being taken with regard to the boundary dispute,’’ he said.
Border row rocks Council
Revenue Minister R Ashoka said, “Maharashtra leaders have become a theatre company and their statements make no sense at all. Our national leaders (BJP) are watching all the developments,’’ he said.
Council passes resolution
The border row rocked the Karnataka Legislative Council too on Tuesday which passed a resolution against giving up any land to other states and to protect the interests of Kannadigas. Law Minister Madhuswamy, “Karnataka has developed areas on its border in a big way. We have improved the Belagavi region and made it better than Bengaluru,’’ he added.
Slamming Maharashtra leaders for demanding the Centre to declare Belagavi a UT, MLC Nagaraj Yadav said that the Centre should declare Mumbai a UT as a majority of people living there are outsiders.
MAHARASHTRA CM SHINDE OFFERS SOPS
During a debate in the Maharashtra Council in Nagpur on Tuesday, Maharashtra CM Eknath Shinde said his government would extend all facilities for the education of Marathi-speaking people living in all 865 villages of Karnataka on the border, at par with facilities given to the people of Maharashtra. He said all the registered organisations in these villages will be given financial support.
“Maharashtra has named senior advocates to argue its case over the boundary dispute filed in the Supreme Court. We have approached senior counsel Harish Salve and he agreed to fight our case,’’ Shinde said.
Recalling the clashes that took place over the vexed dispute, the Maharashtra CM said, “MLA Chagan Bhujbal was lathi-charged in the struggle over boundary areas in the past and I was jailed there (Belagavi). Shinde said his government has sanctioned Rs 2,000 crore to implement a water scheme for Jatt taluk (which should actually go to Karnataka as per the Mahajan Commission)