Border row: K'taka Legislature passes unanimous resolution

Belgaum, Sep 25 (UNI) Both the Houses of the Karnataka Legislature today passed an unanimous resolution, urging the Centre to take suitable steps to implement the Mahajan Commission report on the border dispute with neighbouring Maharashtra, in toto.

The two Houses, at the historic special session which commenced here today, passed the resolution by voice vote without any discussion.

While Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy moved the resolution in the Assembly, Higher Education Minister and House leader D H Shankaramurthy moved it in the Council.

Moving the resolution, Mr Kumaraswamy said Karnataka had exhibited utmost patience in inter-state matters and adopted extreme resilience while protecting the interests of the State. The Mahajan Commission, constituted by the Centre to look into the border dispute raised by Maharashtra, had rejected that State's claim and its findings were binding on all. Despite this, the Maharashtra Government had raked up the issue time and again. In this background, the Centre should take suitable steps to end the row.

Earlier, the Congress pre-empted the resolution, with Leader of the Opposition N Dharam Singh seeking to move a resolution to send a strong signal to the Centre and Maharashtra that Belgaum was a part and parcel of Karnataka.

Noisy scenes were witnessed in the Council when Leader of the Opposition H K Patil tried to move the resolution, but was opposed by the treasury benches, leading to adjournment of the House for a brief period.

In the lower House, the resolution, seconded by Mr Singh, was adopted after Kannada Chaluvali Vatal Paksha leader Vatal Nagaraj made a vain bid to force a discussion.

Mr Nagaraj stormed into the well of the House, raising slogans against the Maharashtra Ekikarana Samiti (MES) members, while the motion was passed by the House.

In the Council, Mr Shankaramurthy accused the neighbouring State of raising the issue now and then eventhough it had agreed to abide by the recommendations of the Mahajan Commission.

Mr Patil, who seconded the resolution, condemned the action of the Maharashtra Government in sending Deputy Chief Minister R R Patil to Belgaum to attend a convention of Marathi-speaking people, organised by MES, where he had delivered a provocative speech.

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