Karnataka-Maharashtra relations will remain the same, says CM Bommai

Belagavi (Karnataka) [India], December 22 (ANI): Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai said that the relationship between Karnataka and Maharashtra will remain the same as they have confidence in the Indian Constitution.
"The statement been made by one of the Opposition members. They should understand that we are living in a federal system," CM Bommai said reacting to Maharashtra Minister Shambhuraj Desai's statement in which he had said that Maharashtra can stop water supply to its Karnataka if its leaders did not stop making "irresponsible statements".
"Maharashtra will have to rethink about water supply from its dams to the neighboring state if Karnataka CM Basavaraj Bommai and others do not stop making irresponsible statements," Shambhuraj Desai said while talking to media persons in Vidhan Bhavan complex.
Reacting to this, Karnataka CM said: "Water does not belong to one state. It does not help in any context if they continue to speak this way. The relationship between the two states will remain same. We are confident about the verdict of the Supreme Court as its been cleared in 1956 by the Mahajan report. We are confident about the right that the Constitution has given us."
Bommai also slammed Shiv Sena (Uddhav Thackeray) leader Sanjay Raut by stating that he is known for his "provocative statements".
"What importance does his statement holds? He is known for making such provocative statements. We are Indians and the Kannadigas act like Indian soldiers if Sanjay Raut speaks the language of China," Bommai said.
Raut yesterday sparked a controversy by saying, "We will enter Karnataka like China has entered the country".
"Like China has entered, we will enter (Karnataka). We don't need anyone's permission. We want to solve it through a discussion but Karnataka CM is igniting a fire. There is a weak government in Maharashtra and is not taking any stand on it," Sanjay Raut said yesterday.
Karnataka Chief Minister Basavraj Bommai on that day later hit out at Maharashtra's Opposition leaders, claiming that they had 'lost their mental balance'.
The Panchamasalis, a subsection of the Lingayat community in Karnataka come under category 3B which has a 5 per cent quota. They now want to be included under category 2A, in which they will get a share in the 15 per cent reservation.
Notably, tensions are already prevailing in the border areas of Belagavi on the Maharashtra Karnataka border after members of the Maharastra Ekikaran Samiti (MES) and Nationalist Congress Party staged a protest on Monday demanding they be allowed into Belagavi.
However, Belagavi Police denied permission to MES to conduct its Maha Melava at the Vaccine Depot ground in Tilakwadi and clamped prohibited orders in Tilakwadi Police Station jurisdiction. It also imposed Section 144 in the area and heavy security was deployed at the site.
The border dispute between Maharashtra and Karnataka goes back to the implementation of the State Reorganization Act, of 1956. The then Maharashtra government had 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 the proposal was turned down by Karnataka.
Both governments later approached the Supreme Court to expedite the matter. (ANI)