'No question of giving away even an inch of land': Yediyurappa on Belagavi border issue

Bengaluru, Dec 30: Accusing Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thackeray of trying to create a rift between Marathi and Kannada people, Karnataka Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa on Monday declared that not even an inch of the state's land will be given away.

"It has been decided in the Mahajan report what has to go to Maharashtra and Karnataka. For political benefit the Chief Minister there is trying to create confusion. I condemn it. There is no question of giving away even an inch of land," Yediyurappa said.

"Our people should maintain peace and brotherhood, there is no question of giving away even an inch of Karnataka's land. Just because someone made a statement there is no need to create confusion. I appeal to our people to maintain peace," he added.

Tension prevailed on the Karnataka-Maharashtra border after leaders raised the border dispute at Belgaum and burnt Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray in effigy.

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

Bus services from Kolhapur district in Maharashtra to Karnataka had been suspended on Sunday against the backdrop of the ongoing border dispute between the two states over Belagavi.