Maharashtra-K'taka border row: Sena's Raut targets PM Modi, says, 'PM mediates in Russia-Ukraine war but..'
Border row: Maharashtra has claimed Belagavi and surrounding border areas in north Karnataka since the beginning, as they have a sizable Marathi-speaking population. According to Sanjay Raut, the struggle of the Marathi-speaking Belagavi population and surrounding areas, who were forced into Karnataka during the state reorganisation, cannot be crushed cruelly.
FollowShiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi mediates in the Russia-Ukraine war; however, he turned a blind eye to the simmering Maharashtra-Karnataka border issue, calling it 'not a sign of a good politician' on Sunday.
In his weekly column 'Rokhthok' in the party mouthpiece, Saamana Raut said that the border dispute between Maharashtra and Karnataka was a struggle for humanity rather than a battle between the two states' people and governments.
Since the beginning, Maharashtra has claimed Belagavi and surrounding border areas in north Karnataka as they have a sizable Marathi-speaking population. The decades-old border dispute resurfaced after Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai recently claimed that some villages in Maharashtra's Sangli district had passed a resolution to join the southern state due to a lack of basic facilities.
According to Raut, the struggle of the Marathi-speaking Belagavi population and surrounding areas, who were forced into Karnataka during the state reorganisation, cannot be crushed cruelly.
If the central government and the Supreme Court are unable to resolve the issue, where should one turn for justice? Shiv Sena senior leader Sanjay Raut (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) questioned.
Raut alleged, "PM Modi mediates in the Russia-Ukraine conflict but ignores the Maharashtra-Karnataka border dispute. This is certainly not a sign of a good politician."
It is commendable that Union Home Minister Amit Shah took the initiative to resolve the issue, but the Rajya Sabha member asked whether the central government would take a neutral stance. Raut added that the parliament should find a solution to the border issue.
"Rather than expecting the Supreme Court to redirect the case to parliament, what is the harm if parliament finds a solution sooner?" he suggested.
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Additionally, he said that instead of making provocative statements against Maharashtra, Karnataka CM Bommai should have held talks with the organisations and leaders of Marathi-speaking people in Belagavi to resolve the dispute.
Furthermore, Raut said, "It's clear that Maharashtra CM Eknath Shinde is too weak to confront Bommai's aggressive claim of Maharashtra areas."
The status quo was decided to be maintained during a meeting of the two chief ministers called by the Union Home Minister Amit Shah over the issue, according to Raut.
(With inputs from PTI)
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