New Delhi, December 10 (IANS). Amid reports of rift in the Indi alliance, the two major parties of this alliance have come face to face with each other in two states. On one hand, in Maharashtra, Shiv Sena (UBT), Congress and NCP (SP) contested the elections together as Mahavikas Aghadi, while on the other hand, there is Congress government in Karnataka. In such a situation, Congress and Shiv Sena (UBT) have come face to face with each other on two issues. Firstly, Shiv Sena (UBT) is raising the issue of insulting Veer Savarkar. Because the matter of removing the picture of Veer Savarkar from the Assembly building in Karnataka has come to light. At the same time, leaders of Congress and Shiv Sena (UBT) are targeting each other regarding Belgaum (Belagavi).
The Belgaum issue, however, is quite old. But, after the defeat in Maharashtra Assembly elections, this issue is once again being raised by Shiv Sena (UBT).
In fact, the matter heated up when former Maharashtra minister and Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aditya Thackeray wrote a letter to CM Devendra Fadnavis asking him to bring a resolution in the Assembly to declare Belgaum as a Union Territory. Along with this, Aditya Thackeray has also written in that letter that if the government brings this proposal, then Shiv Sena (UBT) will support this proposal unanimously.
If Aditya Thackeray is to be believed, justice is not being done to Marathi speaking people on Belgaum and Karwar border. In such a situation, the Maharashtra Government should send a proposal to the Central Government to declare Belgaum as a Union Territory.
Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has also said that the government stands with the people of Marathi speaking region living in the border areas of Karnataka. He also condemned that the Karnataka government is doing injustice to the Marathi speaking people living in the border areas of Karnataka including Belgaum. He also criticized the Karnataka government for saying that Marathi people should not hold meetings. This is in a way a violation of their constitutional rights.
There was a reaction from the Chief Minister of Karnataka regarding this demand of Aditya Thackeray and he called this demand childish. CM Siddaramaiah clearly said that for us the Mahajan report is final and after accepting this report the matter is over. In such a situation, the question arises whether one can make Belgaum a Union Territory. He further said that if Maharashtra Integration Committee (MES) protests on this then we will not remain silent at any cost.
After this, Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah, who reached Belgaum, once again in response to the question asked by the media, said that “The Mahajan Commission report on Belgaum is final and it is foolish that the district should be included in Maharashtra again and again.” Is being demanded. The Karnataka government will not tolerate childish statements being made in this regard.
He further said that Karnataka will not tolerate childish rhetoric targeting Belgaum.
Actually, the crux of this entire matter is related to the beginning of the winter session of the Karnataka Assembly. As soon as this session started, members of Maharashtra Ekikaran Samiti protested against it. The people of the committee organized a meeting in Belgaum. But, the Karnataka government reportedly banned the event, as well as barred leaders from Maharashtra from entering Karnataka.
Karnataka BJP also seems to be standing with the government there regarding this. The state BJP president Vijayendra Yediyurappa even said regarding Aditya Thackeray’s demand that after the crushing defeat in Maharashtra, Shiv Sena (UBT) is trying to raise this issue. This is just a political stunt. He clearly said that Belagavi has always been an integral part of Karnataka and will always remain so.
At the same time, Shiv Sena (UBT) leader and spokesperson Anand Dubey said that Belgaum is very close to Maharashtra, if Belgaum is not able to be included in Maharashtra, then at least it should be made independent, it should be made a Union Territory. If Aditya Thackeray has made this demand, what is wrong in it?
Anand Dubey said, “The Chief Minister of Maharashtra Government and the Chief Minister of Karnataka should sit and discuss this and somehow find a solution to it. The people of Belgaum are grinding in this, what is their fault.”
He further said that Union Home Minister Amit Shah will also have to intervene in this, without his intervention nothing is going to happen in this matter.
He further said that Shiv Sena (UBT) has given an open challenge in this regard. If this is not resolved in time, we will protest.
Anand Dubey further said that we are showing the mirror to Congress in this matter, now improve in time, otherwise it will be late.
He further said on the uproar in Karnataka regarding Veer Savarkar, “We cannot leave the Hindutva issue of Veer Savarkar, this is our pledge.” We appeal to the Karnataka government to put Veer Savarkar’s photo back in the same house, otherwise how will you feel if they start removing the photos of great men wherever your government is not in power. If someone’s house is made of glass then one should not throw stones at someone else’s house, Congress should know this.”
He further said that Shiv Sena (UBT) leaders will talk to the Congress leadership and there will be no compromise on the issue of Veer Savarkar, Shiv Sena cannot tolerate the insult of Savarkar.
At the same time, Maharashtra BJP MLA Girish Mahajan also expressed his opinion on the issue of unrest and said that we and our government are with the Marathi people. By the way, the demands of the opposition are being made on the issue of unbridledness, so let us tell you that the job of the opposition is to make demands. But, our government understands the pain of Marathi people and always stands with them. Our Chief Minister has also made it clear regarding this.
Actually, the dispute regarding Belgaum has been going on between Karnataka and Maharashtra since 1957. When states were reorganized on the basis of language. At that time Belgaum was claimed by Maharashtra and the reason behind this was that it was a part of the erstwhile Bombay Presidency. A large number of Marathi speaking people live here and there are more than 800 Marathi speaking border villages. Which is currently a part of Karnataka state. In such a situation, Maharashtra claims that the population of Marathi speaking people in those villages is high, hence they should be handed back to it. At the same time, Karnataka has been saying that the reorganization of the state boundaries has been done under the law.
–IANS
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