New turn to Yellur signboard issue

In a twist following a public interest litigation being filed before the High Court of Karnataka on Monday seeking action on a controversial signboard at the entrance of Yellur village of Belgaum taluk, efforts are now being made to tag the PIL with Maharashtra’s suit filed before the Supreme Court pertaining to the boundary dispute with Karnataka.

The PIL was filed by Bhimappa Gundappa Gadag of Gokak taluk in Belgaum district. The signboard indicates that Yellur village is part of Maharashtra though the village comes under Belgaum South Assembly and Belgaum Lok Sabha constituencies in Karnataka.

Madhav Rao Chavan, a senior advocate from Belgaum and member of the panel of advocates handling Maharashtra’s case in the apex court, told

The Hindu here on Tuesday that he would suggest that the Maharashtra government file an application immediately requesting the apex court to tag the PIL with its original suit.

As per the suit, Maharashtra has claimed parts of Belgaum and other towns and village along the boundary between Karnataka and Maharashtra.

He said though the issue, prima facie , appeared to be simple, there were broader issues involved. The signboard was part of the long-drawn agitation by Marathi-speaking people of Belgaum and in other boundary areas of the State, who felt that justice was not served during the reorganisation of States by including areas dominated by Marathi-speaking people in Karnataka State. Also, as per the Mahajan Commission, Yellur should be part of Maharashtra, he said.

Mr. Chavan said the signboard had nothing to do against Karnataka or Kannada-speaking people, but was a protest against injustice and was symbolic of more than five decades of struggle. It was within the provisions granted under Article 19 of the Constitution.

He said that recently, Karnataka filed an interim application before the Supreme Court seeking a direction to the Maharashtra government against according permission to open Marathi-medium schools in areas dominated by Kannada-speaking people in Maharashtra, such as Solapur and Akkalkot. He sought to know the logic behind that.

He pointed out that the signboard was legally a case of encroachment. However, he added that the issue should be seen from a wider perspective and in a democratic manner.