The border dispute between Karnataka and Maharashtra has now taken another firestorm on Wednesday when both the sides were counterclaiming on each other. It all started from a statement given by Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray on an public event.
Thackeray said that the parts of Karnataka which are majorly Marathi spoken should be included into Maharashtra on which there has been disputes since that event. Hitting back on Thackeray on Wednesday Deputy Chief Minister of Karnataka Lakshman Savadhi demanded that the disputed areas should be carved into an union territory until the issue is resolved and he also said that Mumbai should be included in Karnataka or be devolved into a federally governed province at least.
“We condemn the Maharashtra Chief Minister’s statement. We are confident that things will be in our favour in the Supreme Court. The people of our region demand that we have been part of Mumbai-Karnataka (region), so we too have our right on Mumbai,” he said in a statement.
Earlier on Wednesday Thackeray held a meeting in which he said, “Despite the matter being in court, the Karnataka government deliberately changed the name of the disputed region to Belgavi. They made Belgaum the second capital where they also held an assembly session. Here, we think about the law but Karnataka does not. We will bring that part in Maharashtra for sure if we all come together.”
Thackeray also asserted that on the grounds of atrocities faced by the Marathi speaking people in the disputed areas his government will request the apex body of Supreme Court to declare the disputed parts as an union territory until the issue is resolved.
The actual issue began in 1956 after the States Reorganisation Act 1956 made Belgaum and 10 talukas of Bombay State – once part of colonial Bombay Presidency – a part of the then Mysore state and the issue is pending in court since then.
Thackeray claimed of incorporating Belagavi, Karwar and Nippani, which are currently parts of Karnataka but people of these parts majorly speak Marathi. Karnataka on the other hand consider Belgavi as an integral part of Karnataka.
