Belagavi border issue: Karnataka deputy CM flays Shiv Sena leaders

Bengaluru, Jan 19: The Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister C N Ashwathnarayan on Sunday cleared it by saying that the Belagavi border issue was settled, even as he accused certain political leaders in neighbouring state Maharashtra of raking it up for political reasons.

Reportedly, Ashwathnarayan urged them to focus on the issues of the public good that need immediate attention rather than instigating people for petty reasons on such emotive issues that have already been decided upon.

The Karnataka Deputy CM said to PTI that Karnataka and Maharashtra border issue has already been settled by the Mahajan commission report, so the political leaders should stop repeatedly instigating the people on the issue with a political motive.

He further added, "We all are Indians, boundaries between states have been fixed and decided upon. Instead of repeatedly dwelling on the issue, there are many good work to do. There are no boundaries for humanity and good work..."

Hitting at Shiv Sena's Sanjay Raut he claimed, "... Sanjay Raut raking up such an issue is making things awkward for himself."

Ashwathnarayan was reacting to visits by the Shiv Sena leaders Raut and Maharashtra minister of state Rajendra Patil Yadravkars to Belagavi allegedly with an intention to bring the border issue up.

According to PTI, during a visit to Belgagavi, Raut has reportedly said the 70-year-old border issue between two states can be resolved by a strong Union Home Minister like Amit Shah, who abrogated Article 370 related to Jammu and Kashmir.

The deputy chief minister further added that the Maharashtra and Karnataka Chief Ministers and NCP chief Sharad Pawar should meet to resolve demands of Marathi-speaking people of Belagavi and nearby areas.

In December last year, Karnataka CM B S Yediyurappa had declared that not even an inch of the state's land would be given away and blamed Maharashtra CM Uddhav Thackeray of stoking the Belagavi issue for political gains.

Maharashtra has been claiming the border district of Belagavi was part of the erstwhile Bombay Presidency, but is currently a district of Karnataka, on linguistic grounds.