Fadnavis, Shinde, Pawar Unite On Renewed Push In Karnataka Border Dispute
Eknath Shinde stated that the Maharashtra Government is sensitive to the issues faced by the Marathi-speaking population in the Maharashtra-Karnataka border region and will make every effort to resolve this matter.
Mumbai: The Maharashtra Government has decided to pursue the legal battle regarding the Maharashtra-Karnataka border dispute with great vigour. A High-Power Committee meeting regarding the Maharashtra-Karnataka border dispute will be formed, said Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis.
“The Maharashtra Government stands firmly behind the Marathi-speaking people in the border areas regardin and all-out efforts to secure their just rights will continue,” said Fadnavis before adding that the government would make every possible effort to protect the legitimate rights of the Marathi-speaking community in these border regions.
A meeting of the High-Power Committee regarding the Maharashtra-Karnataka border dispute was held at Vidhan Bhavan, which was attended by Deputy Chief Ministers Eknath Shinde and Sunetra Pawar, NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar, MP Narayan Rane, Minister for Higher and Technical Education Chandrakant Patil, Tourism Minister Shambhuraj Desai and Medical Education Minister Hasan Mushrif.
Stating that the struggle regarding the Maharashtra-Karnataka border dispute has been ongoing for years, Fadnavis announced that senior legal experts would be appointed to expedite the hearing of the border dispute case in the Supreme Court and that competent legal assistance would be provided to the Marathi-speaking people in Karnataka facing various legal cases.
Acknowledging the various difficulties faced by the Marathi-speaking community in the border areas, Fadnavis affirmed that the entire state of Maharashtra stands firmly in their support. “The government is prepared to take necessary action on all suggestions and pending issues raised by the committee. “Comprehensive information regarding the Linguistic Minorities Commission would be compiled and shared with all MPs from Maharashtra so that the issue could be effectively raised in Parliament. Necessary applications will be filed on behalf of the State Government to expedite the hearing of the border dispute case in the Supreme Court. Furthermore, steps will be taken to appoint senior legal counsel for this matter as required. Senior government legal experts will also play an active role in the case,” he said.
“The Maharashtra Government will appoint lawyers to provide competent legal assistance to Marathi-speaking individuals facing various legal cases in Karnataka and will bear the expenses incurred for these cases. An effective coordination mechanism will be established through this ministerial committee,” Fadnavis added.
Eknath Shinde stated that the Maharashtra Government is sensitive to the issues faced by the Marathi-speaking population in the Maharashtra-Karnataka border region and will make every effort to resolve this matter. *Various government schemes are being implemented for citizens in the border areas. Reserved seats are allocated for them in the Indian Administrative Service (IAS) pre-training center, as well as for admissions to engineering and medical courses,” he said.
Maharashtra has been demanding that 814 villages along the borders including Belgaum, Karwar, Nipani, Bidar be included in the state – as a large population here speaks Marathi and share cultural ties with the state. The long-pending Maharashtra-Karnataka boundary dispute is before the Supreme Court.
