BENGALURU/BELAGAVI: Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Thursday said all issues related to the border row with Maharashtra, including Maharashtra Chief Minister’s remarks on resolving it amicably through talks, will be discussed at the all-party leaders’ meeting next week.
Bommai said they have taken note of Maharashtra CM Eknath Shinde holding meetings to discuss the border row and his remarks about talks and all these developments will be discussed during the meeting that he has convened next week. “They have filed the case in the Supreme Court and we are fully prepared to present our arguments. We have strong grounds,” he said.
Bommai said a decision to fight the case in Supreme Court was taken at an all-party meeting and in the Border Development Authority and now the government is only focused on presenting its arguments before the SC.
The CM said the border dispute is over after the States Reorganization Act was enacted, but the Maharashtra government is raking it up. “The resolution of Gram Panchayat (in the border area) and other related issues are with us. All these will be debated in the Supreme Court,” the CM said.
A day after Bommai and Maharashtra Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis sparred over the boundary dispute between both states, Shinde said the dispute should be resolved through discussions. Shinde said the Maharashtra government held a meeting with regard to the boundary issue recently. “The issue should be resolved through talks and that has been the Maharashtra government’s stand,’’ he said.
On Wednesday, Fadnavis had tweeted, “Not even a single village from Maharashtra will go to Karnataka. The Maharashtra government will fight in the Supreme Court to claim Belagavi, Karwar, Nipani and other Marathi areas on the border.’’
In response, Bommai reacted on Twitter, stating that Fadnavis issued provocative statements with on the boundary dispute. Fadnavis’ dreams will never come true. Karnataka state is committed to protecting its land, water and borders.’’
Shinde recalled the meeting that the governors of Karnataka and Maharashtra held recently in which the issue of boundary dispute also was discussed and said even the Centre too had shown a satisfactory response to the issue.