Asianet NewsableAsianet Newsable

Maharashtra-K'taka border row: 'Without Delhi's support, incidents of violence cannot occur,' says Sanjay Raut

Maharashtra ministerial delegation's planned visit to Karnataka's Belagavi was cancelled on Tuesday amid the simmering tensions over the border dispute. On Wednesday, Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation suspended bus services to the southern state, citing a police advisory.
 

Maharashtra-Karnataka border row: Without Delhi's support, incidents of violence cannot occur, says Sanjay Raut - adt
Author
First Published Dec 7, 2022, 12:55 PM IST

Shiv Sena (UBT) leader and Rajya Sabha member Sanjay Raut on Wednesday targeted the Centre, claiming the incidence of violence amid the raging border dispute between Maharashtra and Karnataka cannot happen without 'Delhi's support.' Additionally, Raut slammed Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, claiming that the state appeared weak to deal with such attacks. 

On Tuesday night, Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and his Karnataka counterpart Bommai spoke on the phone amid the rising tension between the two states over the border issue. Both sides agreed that there should be peace and law, and order.

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis spoke with Bommai, on Tuesday, over the stone pelting incident on vehicles entering the southern state from Maharashtra and said he would raise the issue with the Centre.

Maharashtra ministerial delegation's planned visit to Karnataka's Belagavi was cancelled on Tuesday amid the simmering tensions over the border dispute. On Wednesday, Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation suspended bus services to the southern state, citing a police advisory. 

On Wednesday, Rajya Sabha member Sanjay Raut targeted the Centre and claimed that Marathi people and vehicles from Maharashtra could not be attacked in Belagavi without 'Delhi's support.'

"Maharashtra Ekikaran Samiti workers have been arrested. The game of ending Marathi's self-esteem by breaking its backbone has begun. The attacks in Belagavi are all part of the same plot. Wake up, Marathas, get up!" Raut said. He stressed, saying Chief Minister Eknath Shinde claims he has started a revolution. 

 

"What kind of revolution it is can be seen in how weak the state appears to be in countering these attacks," Raut said. He tweeted, "Those who left Shiv Sena claiming they have self-respect have now decided to stay silent."

While talking to the media, Raut said, "Announce Belagavi a Union Territory." He added that people are ready to go to Belagavi under the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar's leadership. 

The NCP is an ally of Shiv Sena (UBT), and both parties, along with the Congress, were in power in Maharashtra until their government collapsed in June of this year following a rebellion led by Shinde. Shinde later formed a government with the Bharatiya Janata Party's support.

Raut said, "We have no idea what is going on. There is a BJP government at the Centre and in Karnataka and Maharashtra." Adding that the ministers (Chandrakant Patil and Shambhuraj Desai) have backed out (from going to Belagavi), we will provide them protection and march with them," he continued. 

The issue of borders dates back to 1957, following the reorganisation of states along linguistic lines. Because of its sizeable Marathi-speaking population, Maharashtra claimed Belagavi, which was part of the former Bombay Presidency. It also claimed 814 Marathi-speaking villages, now part of the southern state. However, Karnataka considers the linguistic demarcation established by the States Reorganisation Act and the 1967 Mahajan Commission Report to be final.

(With inputs from PTI)

Also read: Belagavi border row: Maharashtra suspends bus services to Karnataka; here's why

Also read: Maharashtra-Karnataka border row: Fadnavis dials Bommai over Belagavi truck attack

Also read: Border row: Maharashtra ministers unlikely to travel to Karnataka's Belagavi

Follow Us:
Download App:
  • android
  • ios