Days after the Karnataka Assembly passed a resolution declaring that an inch of land will not be given to Maharashtra, both the houses of Maharashtra Legislature on Tuesday through voice vote unanimously passed the resolution with a resolve to protect the state's interests and especially the interests of the Marathi speaking people in the border area.
Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, who moved the resolution in the state assembly and council, condemned the Karnataka government’s "anti-Marathi" stand.
The Maharashtra resolution stated there are 865 Marathi-speaking villages along with Belgaum, Karwar, Bidar, Nipani, Bhalki and "every inch of these villages and cities will be brought into Maharashtra".
Whatever will be required for the same in the Supreme Court, the Maharashtra government will do so, it added.The resolution said that 865 villages, including "every inch of Belgaum, Karwar, Bidar, Nipani, Bhalki" will be part of Maharashtra.
‘’The state government stands resolutely with the Marathi-speaking people in 865 villages along with Belgaum Karwar, Bidar, Nipani and Bhalki. The state government will legally pursue in the Supreme Court the case to include in Maharashtra the inch and inch of the land of the 865 Marathi-speaking villages in Karnataka,” said the resolution.
State government also resolves to fight with firm determination and force the legal case with regard to border dispute in the Supreme Court.
The Central Government should urge the Karnataka Government to implement the decision taken in the meeting with the Union Home Minister and the government should be given an understanding to guarantee the safety of the Marathi people in the border areas, the resolution read.
The resolution said when the chief ministers of the two states had met Union Home Minister Amit Shah, it was decided that till the Supreme Court gives its judgement in the matter, it should be ensured that the issue does not flare up any further. However, the Karnataka government took a contrary stand by passing a resolution in its state Assembly.
The border issue dates back to 1957 after the reorganisation of states on linguistic lines.
’’Maharashtra government has already respected the will of the Marathi speaking people from 865 villages for their inclusion in the state. The government has provided a slew of amenities and facilities for social, education and economic development. The government has also provided a slew of concessions including the benefit under the Chief Minister’s Assistance Fund, special incentive for the admission in engineering and medical education and for pre-training for Indian Administrative Service,’’ a resolution said.
The Chief Minister Eknath Shinde thanked all the members for the unanimous passage of the resolution. As decided in the Business Advisory Committee meeting no debate took place. However, when Shinde tried to recall the issue remains unresolved even though there were Congress led governments at the Centre and also in Maharashtra and Karnataka, the Congress, NCP and Shiv Sena took strong objection.
They demanded that the CM cannot make any political statement. The DCM Devendra Fadnavis intervened and told the house that let the CM speak as he is giving information with regard to the initiatives taken by the state government for the Marathi speaking people in the border area.
The Shiv Sena Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray chief Uddhav Thackeray had demanded in the Maharashtra Council that the 865 villages be declared as a Union Territory till the Supreme Court gives its verdict on the issue. However, it did not figure in the resolution.
Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said in the Assembly that the case is pending before the Supreme Court and it also has to be ensured that there is no contempt of court while putting forth the demand, as the matter is sub-judice.
