Speaking on the ongoing controversy regarding a border dispute with Karnataka, Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray said on Wednesday that the disputed areas along the Maharashtra-Karnataka border should be declared a Union Territory until the Supreme Court has its say on the matter.
“When the issue is pending in the Supreme Court, the Karnataka government renamed Belgaum and also declared it as its second capital. It also constructed a legislature building there and held a legislature session. Isn’t this contempt of court? Karnataka-occupied Marathi-speaking areas should be declared a Union territory until the Supreme Court gives its final verdict on the issue,” Thackeray said.
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The CM was offering remarks at the release of a book titled, “Maharashtra Karnataka Simawad: Sangharsh Ani Sankalp (Maharashtra-Karnataka Border Dispute: Struggle and Resolve).” NCP leader Sharad Pawar, Maharashtra Congress chief and state minister Balasaheb Thorat, and Leader of the Opposition in the Legislative Council Pravin Darekar were among the political leaders present at the book release.
Despite Thackeray’s demands, the border dispute issue has received condemnation from all political parties in Karnataka, including from prominent Congress leaders. BJP leader and Karnataka Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa has said that Maharashtra’s claim is against national unity.
Maharashtra has contended for decades that Marathi speaking pockets of Karnataka which include portions of Belgaum, Karwar, and Nippani, should be incorporated into its territory.
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Sharad Pawar has hinted that the Supreme Court case is the government’s last resort with regard to a solution for the border dispute. “If things don’t happen now, then I have my doubts if there would be any change in the future as well,” he said.
“The Supreme Court is our last weapon (on the issue). So, we have to prepare well and present our side effectively,” Pawar added. It’s worth pointing out that the Maharashtra-Karnataka border dispute is a pending case at the Supreme Court since 2004.
Chief Minister Thackeray has further said that the Central Government should play the role of an impartial mediator during this border dispute. The CM also held a high-level committee meeting following the book release where he called on all parties to form a united front in taking up this issue.
“All the parties should have to play a united and aggressive stand with the Centre to bring the Karnataka-occupied Marathi-speaking areas into Maharashtra. As the Supreme Court is hearing the case, the Karnataka government has started destroying Marathi from the border disputed areas. It has to be stopped. Until the final verdict, the immediate follow up should be taken to maintain the status quo (on the disputed areas),” Thackeray was quoted as saying.
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