CM urges Centre to foster dialogue beween Maharashtra, Karnataka

Mumbai, Nov 18: Maharashtra Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh today urged the Centre to facilitate a dialogue between the state and Karnataka with a view to resolve the vexed border dispute.

In an official release here, Mr Deshmukh said Maharashtra has always shown an understanding nature while dealing with the issue.

The Marathi-speaking people consider the border issue as a matter of self pride and, therefore, the Centre should take the initiative to arrange a dialogue between the two states in order to resolve the dispute, Mr Deshmukh said in the release.

The Centre, in its written statement filed in the Supreme Court, has turned down Maharashtra's claim on Marathi-speaking areas in Karnataka.

Maharashtra, in a suit filed in the apex court, has staked claim over Belgaum district in Karnataka where the majority population is Marathi speaking. The Maharashtra government's claim that it was assured by late G B Pant then Home Minister that Marathi-speaking areas will be included in Maharashtra, is not tenable in the present circumstances, the Centre has told the apex court.

The written statement, dated November 16, states that the Union Government and Parliament had considered all relevant issues during the passing of the States' Reorganisation Act. It further says that it is neither feasible nor desirable to demarcate the borders of villages, talukas and districts in a manner that the people speaking one language can or may be retained in one state only. Such a solution will face severe practical problems and severe consequences, which have been succinctly laid out by the State Reorganisation Commission (SRC) in its report.

Finally, the Cente has stated that in the process of reorganisation, a certain minimum amount of linguistic overlap is to be expected along the border areas.

The suit is pending since 2004 and is likely to come up for hearing next month.

Meanwhile, reacting to the Centre's affidavit, Shiv Sena executive president Uddhav Thackeray has accused the Congress-led government at the Centre of being anti Maharashtra and questioned as to why none of the ministers from Maharashtra in the Union Cabinet raised their voice on this issue.

UNI