Reacting to the Maharashtra Assembly passing a resolution on the border issue with Karnataka, the CM of the southern state, Basavaraj Bommai, said that he will not cede even an inch of land. He said the Eknath Shinde government was resorting to such moves as their arguments in the case, which is pending before the Supreme Court, is very weak.
“Not an inch of Karnataka will be ceded to Maharashtra. The Karnataka government is fully committed to protecting every bit of land. States were organised on the basis of States Reorganisation Act, 1956. Maharashtra’s politicians are doing such things [passing resoulution] as their case pending before the SC is very weak,” Karnataka CM Basavaraj Bommai said.
The Maharashtra Assembly on Tuesday passed a resolution expressing solidarity with those living in the contentious boundary region with Karnataka. The resolution was moved by Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde. All the necessary legal pursuits will be done in the Supreme Court to include Belgaum, Karvar, Nipani, Bhalki, Bidar cities & 865 Marathi-speaking villages of Karnataka in Maharashtra under any circumstances, reads the resolution tabled by CM.
Central Govt should urge the Karnataka Govt to implement the decision taken in the meeting with the Union Home Minister and Govt should be given an understanding to guarantee the safety of the Marathi people in the border areas, it added.
The border issue between Maharashtra and Karnataka dates back to 1957 after the reorganisation of states on linguistic lines.
Notably, the Karnataka Legislative Assembly had on Thursday unanimously passed a resolution moved by Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on the border row, resolving to protect the southern state's interests. The Bharatiya Janata Party is in power in Karanataka as well as Maharashtra, where it is in an alliance with the Shinde-led faction of Shiv Sena.