Hitting out at Karnataka Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister J.C. Madhuswamy’s remark about Mumbai being declared a Union Territory, Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut said, the Kannada-speaking population in Mumbai has never been ill-treated.
“Unlike the oppression of the Marathi-speaking population in Belagavi or the border districts in Karnataka, the Kannada-speaking population in Mumbai City has never been ill-treated. Mumbai has always been welcoming and giving respect to people from all over the country, be it U.P. or West Bengal,” he said.
Mr. Raut further added, “Because of the continued oppression of the Marathi-speaking population in Belagavi for more than 70 years, we have demanded the district be brought under centre’s rule.”
Recently, former Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray demanded that the disputed districts along the Maharashtra-Karnataka border be brought under Centre’s rule till the Supreme Court decides on the issue.
Reacting to this, the Karnataka Law Minister had said Mumbai can be a Union Territory and not the Belagavi district.
In early December, activists of the Karnataka Rakshana Vedike (KRV) had vandalized trucks from Maharashtra and staged strident protests against permitting any Minister to enter Marathi-speaking districts like Belagavi in Karnataka. This led to several Karnataka buses being painted with black ink by Maharashtra parties like the Raj Thackeray-led MNS.
Amid the border row between the two States, Union Home Minister Amit Shah met the Chief Ministers of both States and asked them to not claim any territory or make any demands till the Supreme Court gives its verdict.
Since late November, Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai has been stirring the political cauldron after first remarking that his BJP government was “seriously considering” a resolution to include Jat taluk in western Maharashtra’s Sangli district. After an irate reaction by the Opposition MVA, Maharashtra Deputy CM and State BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis said there was no question of the State ceding an inch of land to Karnataka.
Following this, Mr. Bommai upped the ante by stating that Solapur city and Akkalkot (in Solapur district) ought to part of Karnataka as well.
