K.N. Bengeri, member, Karnataka Maharashtra Border Dispute Special Legal Advisory Committee, has assured the people of Karnataka and Belgaum in particular that the State government had put up a strong defence before the Supreme Court on the border dispute raked up by the Government of Maharashtra.
Speaking at a function to present the annual Nadoja Pratisthan awards here on Sunday, Mr. Bengeri said that Maharashtra had not just claimed 814 villages on the Karnataka border, but also a huge territory spanning nearly 3,000 sq. km, accounting for 1/4th of the total area of the State.
“It is not just the question of Belgaum, but a huge territory rich with resources such as rivers, minerals, forests and industries on which the government had made huge investments.”
He advised people not be carried away by the Maharashtra Ekikaran Samiti’s claim that the Supreme Court’s verdict would be in its favour.
He took the occasion to remind the people of the significant role played by legal luminaries such as judges S.S. Malimath and M.N. Venkatachaliah, former Chief Ministers S. Nijalingappa and Veerendra Patil, and Minister for Rural Development and Panchayat Raj H.K. Patil in protecting and defending the interests of the State.
Mr. Patil said writers and literary organisations should come out with literature to create awareness about the border dispute. The former Chief Justice of the Kerala High Court V.S. Malimathi called upon the persons concerned to raise the moral standard among people, which would go a long way in bringing down crime and litigation. Noted writer M.M. Kalburgi, pratishthan president M.L. Tukkar and working president Raghavendra Joshi were present. Mr. Bengeri was honoured with the Arvind Sanman.
Writer Latha Gutti of Belgaum received the Katyayani Sanman, retired professor and writer Basavaraj Jagajampi received the V.K. Adhyapak Sanman, Sri Gurusiddha Swami of Karanji Math, Belgaum, was presented the Seetabai Joshi Sanman, and retired school teacher Shankar Appayya Myagoti received the Chidambar Mastar Sanman. The awards carried a purse of Rs. 5,000 each.
