Leader of the Opposition in the Assembly Siddaramaiah has criticised Maharashtra government’s offer to provide health insurance coverage to 865 disputed villages in Karnataka.
“The Maharashtra government’s plan to provide health insurance coverage to residents of border villages is a clear violation of the principle of federalism. It is an insult to the six crore self-respecting Kannadigas. Maharashtra has been repeatedly picking quarrels with Karnataka. It is all part of a larger conspiracy to provoke the peace-loving Kannada and Marathi speakers in both States,” he said in Belagavi on Thursday.
The Union government should dismiss the Maharashtra government and impose President’s rule, he said.
“Maharashtra may claim these villages as its own. But that claim is disputed and the matter is before the Supreme Court,” he said.
“The BJP coalition government in Maharashtra wants to hoodwink the people of Maharashtra and keep them engaged in issues such as the border dispute, as it is unable to provide pro-people administration there,” he said.
“Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai should also resign as he has failed to protect the rights of Kannadigas and in giving a fitting reply to the Maharashtra government that keeps raking up the border issue, even though it is sub-judice,” Mr. Siddaramaiah said.
Various schemes
Maharashtra government has released ₹534 crore for various schemes in Maharashtra villages that want to join Karnataka.
Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde announced on Tuesday that the Maharashtra government will release ₹54 crore to extend the Mahatma Jyotiba Phule Jan Arogya Yojana to 865 villages in Karnataka. Maharashtra is seeking the merger of these villages as it claims that they are Marathi-speaking areas and has filed a petition in the Supreme Court with the demand.
Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai and KPCC president D.K. Shivakumar have criticised the Maharashtra government move.
However, Shiv Sena leader and MLA Shambhuraj Desai defended the Maharashtra government’s decision. “If the Karnataka government takes any action to stop these facilities, we will anyhow keep trying to help the Marathi-speaking people with health facilities,” he told journalists in Mumbai on Thursday.
“Talks on 865 villages involved in the border dispute between the two States are on. The matter is before the Supreme Court. What is more, Union Home Minister Amit Shah has called on both the Chief Ministers to resolve the issue through dialogue. However, we will continue to find ways to help Marathi-speaking people across the border,” he said.
Mr. Desai, who is also a member of a government committee that looks into the border dispute with Karnataka, had been barred from visiting Belagavi in the past, over fears of provocative speeches disturbing peace.
