Nagpur: The Maharashtra Legislative Assembly unanimously passed a resolution condemning Karnataka’s anti-Marathi stance and declared that the Maharashtra government will fight legal case in the Supreme Court with full strength for the inclusion of each and every inch of 865 villages including Belagavi, Nippani, Karwar and Bidar.
Maharashtra chief minister Eknath Shinde further said that the central government should urge the Basavaraj Bommai-led Karnataka government to implement the decision taken by the Home Minister, Centre. He added that the government should be given an understanding to guarantee the safety of the Marathi people in the border areas.
This comes after his predecessor and Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi (MVA) leader Uddhav Thackeray demanded that the Marathi-speaking areas of Karnataka should be declared as a Union Territory.
Thackeray at the Maharashtra Legislative Council said, “We don’t want a single inch of Karnataka’s land but we want our land back… Until the Supreme Court decides on this matter, we should send a demand to the Centre to declare Karnataka-occupied-Maharashtra a Union Territory… I request the house to pass this resolution today itself and send it to the Centre.”
Shinde, while slamming Thackeray, said, “We do not need any lessons from others. We are standing steadfast with those living in the boundary region. We are bringing a resolution to the effect in the Assembly on Tuesday.”
With the Opposition demanding a resolution, the Maharashtra-Karnataka border row once again echoed in the ongoing Winter Session of the State Legislature on the first day of second week. Meanwhile, Fadnavis said, the State Government will do whatever it can to ensure the Marathi-speaking people of Karnataka get justice.