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Siddaramaiah dismisses Maharashtra’s calls for Belagavi to be declared UT
The Karnataka-Maharashtra border dispute traces its origins to the 1940s, when Belagavi municipality, with its significant Marathi-speaking population, sought inclusion in Maharashtra
Chief minister Siddaramaiah on Tuesday reiterated that the Mahajan Commission Report is final regarding the border dispute involving Belagavi and termed calls from Maharashtra to declare the region a Union Territory as “sheer foolishness”.
Responding to Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray’s remarks about declaring Belagavi a Union Territory, Siddaramaiah termed the demands “sheer foolishness” and emphasised that Karnataka will not tolerate such statements.
“The Mahajan Commission Report is final. Once it has been accepted, the matter is settled,” Siddaramaiah said in Belagavi, dismissing calls to merge the border district with Maharashtra.
The Karnataka-Maharashtra border dispute traces its origins to the 1940s, when Belagavi municipality, with its significant Marathi-speaking population, sought inclusion in Maharashtra. At that time, Belagavi, Vijayapura, Dharwad, and parts of Uttara Kannada were part of the Bombay Presidency.
The States Reorganisation Act of 1956, which redrew boundaries based on linguistic lines, incorporated Belagavi and several other regions into Mysore State, now known as Karnataka.
In 1966, the Mahajan Commission, led by retired Chief Justice of India Mehr Chand Mahajan, was established to resolve the conflict. The commission’s 1967 report recommended that 264 villages be transferred to Maharashtra, while Belagavi, Nippani, and 247 villages remain in Karnataka. While Karnataka accepted the recommendations, Maharashtra rejected them.
The dispute resurfaced in 2004 when Maharashtra filed a suit claiming Belagavi city and 865 villages in four districts: Belagavi, Bidar, Karwar, and Gulbarga. It was based on recommendations from a committee led by retired Chief Justice of India YV Chandrachud.
When asked about potential violence by Maharashtra Ekikaran Samiti (MES) members over the issue, Siddaramaiah on Tuesday asserted that the state government would take firm action. “Whoever indulges in violence, we will not remain silent,” he warned.
The CM’s comments came in response to Aaditya Thackeray’s claims that Marathi-speaking residents in Belagavi were being suppressed. Thackeray alleged that the situation in the region had worsened since Sunday, with party workers being detained.
On Monday, Thackeray wrote to Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis, urging the state assembly to pass a resolution declaring Belagavi and Karwar as Union Territories to “ensure justice for Marathi-speaking people.”
In his letter, Thackeray stated, “The issue of Belagavi and Karwar is becoming serious. I earnestly request justice for Marathi people in these regions by passing a resolution to declare them Union Territories.”
Karnataka has consistently denied Maharashtra’s claims and reinforced its stance by establishing an assembly building in Belagavi, where the state legislature holds its winter session.
