Will fight in SC: Maha resolution on border

The Maharashtra assembly on Tuesday unanimously passed a resolution reiterating the state’s claim on 865 villages in three districts and cities falling in Karnataka, including Belagavi, Karwar, Bidar, Nipani and Bhalki in Karnataka, further escalating the row between the two states.

The Maharashtra assembly on Tuesday unanimously passed a resolution reiterating the state’s claim on 865 villages in three districts and cities falling in Karnataka, including Belagavi, Karwar, Bidar, Nipani and Bhalki in Karnataka, further escalating the row between the two states. The resolution came in the wake of a similar stance adopted by the Karnataka assembly on December 22 when the state vowed not to cede an “inch of land” to Maharashtra.

Protesters gathered near Kognoli Toll Plaza on Monday. (ANI)

The Maharashtra government said on Tuesday that it will continue the legal fight for the disputed areas before the Supreme Court and support Maharashtrians living in these areas in every way it can. Tuesday’s resolution also condemned Karnataka’s administration for its alleged high-handedness and anti-Marathi stand.

The resolution demanded the Centre’s intervention in implementing the decisions taken during a December 14 meeting between Union home minister Amit Shah and the two chief ministers.

“The Centre should direct Karnataka to act upon the resolution agreed upon by the two states and also ask the neighbouring state to ensure the safety of the Marathi-speaking people in the disputed area. Police attack protesters brutally, vehicles with Maharashtra number plates are attacked, lands owned by Marathi-speaking people are acquired forcefully. The ministers appointed by the state government for better coordination between the two states are not allowed to enter the disputed area. All this is a deliberate attempt by the Karnataka administration to oppress our people living there,” the resolution said.

The resolution was unanimously passed, and was welcomed by all leaders — from the leader of the Opposition in the legislative council, Ambadas Danve, who demanded that the state file a fresh writ petition before the Supreme Court, to former chief minister Uddhav Thackeray. On Monday, while speaking in the legislative council, Thackeray had proposed that the disputed areas should be declared a Union territory until a proper resolution was arrived at in the Supreme Court. Deputy chief minister Devendra Fadnavis clarified a day later that such a proposal had been made to the Supreme Court in 2005 but was turned down.

“By filing an interlocutory application as part of our petition on border dispute, the state government had requested the apex court in 2005 to impose central rule in the disputed area. We had requested the SC for the status of Union territory until the final decision is pending,” said Fadnavis. He added that once the top court turned down that demand it was important for the state to not incur contempt of court.

Responding to the Maharashtra assembly’s resolution, advocate Ravindra Totiger, part of the lawyers’ team collecting documents for Karnataka on the border case, said the Supreme Court needs solid proof on why a particular place belonged to either state. “Maharashtra might have claimed its right over 865 villages including Belagavi by passing a unanimous resolution in both the legislative houses, however, it must state how and why those places belong to it,” he said.

Advocate MB Zirali, a member of Karnataka’s legal team in the Supreme Court, reiterated such resolutions passed in state assemblies had no bearing on the eventual outcome of the case. “We have hundreds of documents to prove that Belagavi and 865 villages which are claimed by Maharashtra are part and parcel of Karnataka,” he said.

The dispute between the two states dates back to the State Reorganisation Act of 1956 when states were divided on linguistic grounds. People in Belagavi (then Belgaum) and other areas have been demanding their inclusion in Maharashtra ever since. They point out that the Marathi-speaking population is in majority in these areas. The Karnataka government has been opposing this, and for the past several weeks, political leaders from the two states have been involved in verbal jousting over the issue.

Condemning the Maharashtra government’s stand, Karnataka chief minister Basavaraj Bommai said: “There is already a State Reorganisation Act, 1956. People on both the sides of the border are living peacefully. They are making such statements and passing resolution for their political gains. We are firm in our stand. There is no question of giving even an inch of Karnataka’s land. We are also ready to protect the interests of Kannadigas on the other side of the border. The matter is in the Supreme Court and we have faith that we will get justice...There is a lot of difference between our resolution and theirs. We said we won’t give up our land but they are saying they will take away our land. This is the difference. Our resolution is also legally and constitutionally bound...The whole country is watching. We condemn this.”

Speaking to reporters in Belagavi, Karnataka Congress president DK Shivakumar said, “Entire Karnataka and Congress party strongly condemns their resolution about inclusion of our villages in Maharashtra. We express our opposition to it. We are not ready to give even a single village from Karnataka and we don’t want theirs. Our borders are fixed and people are living..

He added: “It is our duty to protect Kannada language, our villages and the state. We are ready to give all kinds of cooperation on this issue. We oppose their resolution, we will raise it in assembly as well and the Congress is ready to move a resolution in this regard.”