It is a moral victory for Karnataka but Maharashtra is upset. The Centre on Wednesday shot down Maharashtra’s six-year-old claim to 865 villages with Marathi-speaking majority in Belgaum, Gulbarga, Karwar and Bidar districts of Karnataka.
In an affidavit filed with the Supreme Court, it said the State Reorganisation Commission (SRC) in 1956 had considered that the “language of the people has been one of the criteria, but not the sole criterion for the inclusion of any area in a state”.
It was enough to trigger celebrations across Karnataka as news of the Congress-led UPA government slamming Maharashtra’s claim spread like wildfire.
“Maharashtra ministers who have been regularly visiting Belgaum to disturb the harmonious co-existence of Kannadigas and Marathis for many years have been given a befitting reply. Centre has now put an end to this dispute. At least now, Maharashtra leaders should put an end to creating mischief over the boundary issue,” chief minister BS Yeddyurappa said.
Praveen Kumari Singh, director of ministry of home affairs, who filed affidavit as the Centre’s reply to Maharashtra’s 2004 affidavit and its application in 2009 claiming jurisdiction over the villages said “the transfer of certain areas to then Mysore (now Karnataka) was neither arbitrary nor wrong as claimed by Maharashtra.”
Claiming credit for the victory, senior Congress leader and deputy leader of opposition in Karnataka legislative assembly, TB Jayachandra wanted the state government to congratulate the prime minister for submitting the affidavit protecting Karnataka’s interests.
“The Centre has done justice to Karnataka by filing an impartial affidavit. It is a golden day in Karnataka’s history,” said Jayachandra. Yeddyurappa, in reciprocation, went a step further by stating: “I am ready to lead an all-party delegation to thank the prime minister. The affidavit has further strengthened Belgaum’s integration with Karnataka, which is final and irrevocable.”
JD(S) leader HD Revanna said, “It is a slap on the face of Maharashtra leaders who have been stoking fires of linguistic hatred between Marathi and Kannada-speaking people in the border areas of Karnataka. I hope, at least now, wiser counsel would prevail over these leaders leading to harmony among the two linguistic groups.”
Activists of several political parties, as well as the Karnataka Rakshana Vedike, celebrated by bursting crackers and distributing sweets in various parts of the state. The Congress-NCP leaders in Maharashtra also admitted to that state’s leadership needing to follow up the issue rigorously. “If the issue gets out of hand, it is bound to work to the advantage of the regional forces like the Shiv Sena and the MNS,” they said.
