BENGALURU: Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Monday said that he has appealed to Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde to fight the border dispute issue legally, as it is in court now.
“We have already communicated to them that it will create law and order problem. Therefore, it’s not the right time for Maharashtra ministers to come to Belagavi. I appeal to Maharashtra CM that the matter is in court and to fight it legally”, the CM said.
Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis too said the border dispute is in court, so neither Maharashtra nor Karnataka can take a decision on it, and the decision will be taken by the court.
“If the minister wants to go there, no one can stop them. The programmes that were to be held there were on the occasion of Mahaparinirvan Divas, in such a way that there should not be any kind of controversy. If they want to go there in future too, no one can stop anyone. In free India, everyone has the right to go everywhere, no one can stop it”, Fadnavis said.
After the implementation of the State Reorganization Act, of 1956, the Maharashtra government demanded the readjustment of its border with Karnataka. Following this, a four-member committee was formed by both states.
The Maharashtra government had expressed willingness to transfer 260 predominantly Kannada-speaking villages, but it was turned down by Karnataka. Now, both Karnataka and Maharashtra governments have approached the Supreme Court to expedite the matter, and the matter is still pending. (ANI)