The Chief Minister of Maharashtra, Uddhav Thackeray has demanded that the Marathi Speaking areas of Karnataka border should be declared as Union territory till the dispute is solved by the Supreme Court. He was speaking at a meeting with the High Power Committee constituted for the border dispute with Karnataka. The meeting was attended by prominent politicians like Sharad Pawar, Ajit Pawar, Chhagan Bhujbal, Minister of Marathi Language Subhash Desai and the Coordinating Minister for Border Areas Mieknath Shinde. The border areas include Belgaum, Karwar and Nipani.
Uddhav Thackeray also said that Karnataka has committed contempt of the court by renaming Belgaum to Belgavi, making it a second capital and holding an assembly session.
The Chief Minister also released a book in a Marathi book titled Maharashtra Karnataka Simawad: Sangharsh Ani Sankalp (Maharashtra-Karnataka Border Dispute: Struggle and Resolve) edited by Maharashtra government officer on special duty Deepak Pawar.
“In order for the Marathi part of Karnataka to come to Maharashtra as soon as possible, all parties should play a united and aggressive role towards the Center. With the Supreme Court hearing pending, the Karnataka government has started destroying Marathi from the border areas, it has to be stopped,” added Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray
Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, senior leader MP, in the spontaneous declarations of the border dwellers, “He will stay in Maharashtra, if not, he will stay in jail” and PawarSpeaks Publication of the book ‘Maharashtra-Karnataka Borderism: Struggle and Resolution’ by him.
Speaking at the function, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar said “For the last several years, the Marathi people have been uneasy over the issue of border disputes. The Government of Maharashtra made an effort to bring the historical background of this issue before the society in the form of a book. Dr. Deepak Pawar has presented this movement in the form of a book.”
“This book will be useful to look at the history of the entire movement at a glance. However, there are some flaws in this fight, I think. After Senapati Bapat went on a hunger strike on the border issue, Mrs. Indira Gandhi appointed a retired judge to study the issue. Judge Meher Chand Mahajan’s name was recommended for the same. The then Chief Minister of Maharashtra, Vasantrao Naik, believed in justice and supported Mrs. Gandhi’s decision. The findings of the report presented by Mahajan were completely anti-Maharashtra. Therefore, the picture spread across the country that Maharashtra demanded the commission and allowed the commission to be appointed. He then began to oppose the report after it was found that its findings were not favorable. The atrocities committed by the Karnataka government on many generations of border dwellers. It is necessary to unite against it as in the past. The entire state of Maharashtra will support the border dwellers. The task of presenting the truth in this is done by Barrister AR Antulay. I think Antulay did a great job on this question, it is not mentioned in this book. There were several stages in this fight. At one stage, Nipani was given to Maharashtra. But the citizens of the border areas took a stand that all parts should join Maharashtra together. Therefore, Nipani did not come to Maharashtra.
“Even today the citizens of the border celebrate one day in November as Black Day. People from many parts of Maharashtra were also supporting this movement. The Maharashtra Unification Committee was constituted in the state. Along with me, MM Joshi, late. Balasaheb Thackeray, Professor ND Patil, and Chhagan Bhujbal were the leaders in this committee. On behalf of the committee, I also went to the border and agitated. Now the case has gone to the Supreme Court. Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray’s office has prepared well for it. The Supreme Court is our last weapon. So you have to prepare well. The Chief Minister is trying to find a suitable decision,” said Sharad Pawar.
The book launch was attended by Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, Minister of Revenue BB Thorat, Minister of Food and Civil Supply, Consumer Affairs Chhagan Bhujbal, Minister of Marathi Language Subhash Desai and the Coordinating Minister for Border Areas Mieknath Shinde, Leader of Opposition in the State Legislative Council Praveen Darekar, Minister of State Dattatray Bharane and Shiv Sena Member of Parliament Arvind Sawant.