Border row: K'taka to present case before Court

Udupi, Apr 28: The Karnataka Government will place strong documentary evidence before the Supreme Court in the case relating to the border row with neighbouring Maharashtra, Primary and Higher Education Minister Basavaraj Horatti said today.

When reporters asked him to comment on Maharashtra seeking the Apex Court to declare Marathi-speaking areas of Nippani, Belgaum, Bidar and Khanapur in Karnataka as Union Territories till the border row was settled, he said ''It is impossible and not right on the part of Maharashtra to make such pleas. We can also make similar claims on Kannada-speaking areas in that state.'' It was just an attempt by the Maharastra Government to appease Maharashtra Ekikaran Samithi, taking up cudgels in this regard, he added.

To a question, Mr Horatti said the government had not taken any decision on introducting English as a medium of instruction in government primary schools. The issue also figured in yesterday's Cabinet meeting. However a decision would be taken after holding a meeting with litterateurs and educationists.

He informed that the Finance Department had approved the appointment of teachers to 4,700 vacancies in government schools.

However, appointments to the approved posts could be taken up only after vacating the stay obtained by Physically Handicapped Association in the Karnataka High Court, he added.

The Minister was talking to reporters after participating in programmes at Puttur in Dakshina Kannada and Inna and Kaup in Udupi district.

UNI