Border row: 'Centre not to buckle under M'rashtra's pressure'

Belgaum, Aug 9 (UNI) Union Minister Oscar Fernandes today said the Centre would not budge to the pressure tactics of Maharashtra in solving the border row relating to the demand for merger of Marathi-speaking areas of this district of Karnataka with that state.

Talking to newspersons here, he said no injustice would be mete out to Karnataka following the pressure from Maharashtra.

Asked why he did not accompany the all-party delegation from Karnataka that met the Prime Minister on the border while Union Home Minister Shivraj Patil had been with the Maharashtra delegation, he informed that it was he who had got the appointment for the Karnataka delegation.

To a question, he said the Centre would show no partiality in releasing financial assistance for the flood-ravaged states of Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka.

He informed that ''Naga terrorists have agreed for extension of ceasefire for one more year. The earlier pact ended on July 31 last,'' he added.

UNI MNP RG RKN1841