Bengaluru: After Sanjay Raut’s statement that Maharashtra will enter Karnataka like China entered India, the Karnataka Government has hardened its stand. Both the Houses of the Karnataka Legislature have decided to pass a tough resolution on the border dispute.
Both the Houses unanimously reiterated the state’s stand that the issue is a settled one, and not an inch of land will be given to the neighbouring state.
During a debate on the border dispute in the Assembly, Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai said, “If everyone agrees… we will pass a resolution reiterating the stand in both Houses of Legislature. Already we have passed several such resolutions, we will reiterate it.”. Members of all political parties, including Leader of Opposition Siddaramaiah, agreed.
Initiating the debate, Mr Siddaramaiah said there is no question of any dispute, and the border issue is already settled with the Mahajan Commission report. Mr Bommai said, “I’m the last person to do such a thing on matters concerning the interest of the state. I will not go back an inch from it, which is the same as the one taken by the governments that have ruled this state so far.”
Mr Siddaramaiah had earlier criticised the CM saying he should not have gone to a meeting called by Union Home Minister Amit Shah because Maharashtra wants to project that there is a border dispute to keep the issue alive, and use it politically. Additionally, the CM should not have accepted the proposal for constituting a committee consisting of three ministers each from both the states.
To this statement, Mr Bommai clarified that the meeting convened by Mr Shah was regarding law and order. “The Home Minister said the solution for this issue can be only through Constitutional and legal means as the case is before the Supreme Court. It cannot be settled on the streets, and peace should be maintained at all cost,” he said.
Senior Congress MLA HK Patil said the maintainability of Maharashtra’s petition is pending before the SC. In such a situation, agreeing to forming a committee raises a question. “...is the situation so grave, has the law and order situation deteriorated in Belagavi, is our (Karnataka) Home Minister incapable of handling the situation,” he asked.
