Maharashtra govt officials should not enter Karnataka, says Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah

The move comes amid a border row over Belagavi between Karnataka and Maharashtra which flares up from time to time.

Published on: Jan 18, 2024, 08:31:33 IST

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Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Wednesday said Maharashtra government officials have been told not to enter the state amid reports that they have decided to implement the health insurance scheme in 865 Marathi- dominated villages bordering Maharashtra.

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Congress General Secretary Randeep Surjewala in Bengaluru. (ANI Photo) (Savitha)

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"Our Chief Secretary has spoken (to his Maharashtra counterpart) asking them (government officials) not to enter Karnataka," the chief minister told reporters here before leaving for the inauguration of Sainik School in Bailahongala Taluk in Belagavi district.

The move comes amid a border row over Belagavi between Karnataka and Maharashtra which flares up from time to time.

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The row dates back to 1957 when states were reorganised on linguistic lines.

Maharashtra laid claim to Belagavi, which was part of the erstwhile Bombay Presidency, as it has a sizable Marathi-speaking population. It also staked claim to over 800 Marathi-speaking villages which are currently a part of Karnataka.

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Karnataka maintains that the demarcation done on linguistic lines as per the States Reorganisation Act and the 1967 Mahajan Commission Report is final.

In an assertion about Belagavi being an integral part of the state, Karnataka built the 'Suvarna Vidhana Soudha' there, modelled on the Vidhana Soudha, the seat of the State Legislature and Secretariat, in Bengaluru.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Yamini C S
Yamini CS is a Senior Content Producer at Hindustan Times with nearly six years of experience in digital journalism. She is part of the India News desk, where she works on a wide range of stories cutting across civic issues, city-based developments, politics, governance, public policy, breaking news, trending topics, and international affairs that have an impact on India. Her role involves tracking fast-moving developments, verifying information from official and on-ground sources, and presenting news in a clear, accessible format for a digital-first audience. A significant part of her work includes handling live blogs during major news events, such as elections, court verdicts, political developments, civic disruptions, protests, weather-related alerts, and unfolding national or international incidents. Through live coverage, she focuses on timely updates to help readers follow complex stories as they evolve. Before moving to the broader India News desk, Yamini was associated with the Bengaluru desk at Hindustan Times, where she extensively covered urban governance, infrastructure, traffic and transport issues, weather events, public grievances, and civic administration in the city. This experience strengthened her grounding in city reporting and sharpened her focus on citizen-centric journalism. She began her career as a correspondent with Reuters after completing a postgraduate diploma in journalism from the Indian Institute of Journalism and New Media. Her early training instilled a strong emphasis on accuracy, sourcing, and news ethics, which continue to shape her reporting style. Outside of work, Yamini enjoys reading across genres, listening to music, and spending time with her family, which help her maintain balance in a fast-paced newsroom environment.Read More