Leader of the Opposition in the Legislative Assembly Siddaramaiah on Monday condemned the “stupid comments” made by Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray on the border issue. The former Chief Minister said the “Mahajan report is final with respect to Belagavi border issue”.
“Mr. Uddhav Thackeray, don’t try to politicise the issue which is already decided. You are not just a Shiv Sena activist. Don’t forget that you are also a responsible Chief Minister,” Mr. Siddaramaiah said.
The Congress is a part of the coalition government in Maharashtra. Mr. Thackeray on Sunday said that his government was committed to incorporating those areas in Karnataka where Marathi-speaking people were in a majority, into Maharashtra.
In three tweets, Mr. Siddaramaiah said: “we will never compromise on matters related to the land-water-language of Karnataka. Protecting our State is our responsibility. @CMOKarnataka should officially give a befitting response to the stupid comments made by Uddhav Thackeray”.
“I strongly condemn the statement made by @CMOMaharashtra Uddhav Thackeray about our Belagavi. Belagavi is an integral part of Karnataka. Don’t try to instigate us bringing up the issue which is already resolved”, Mr. Siddaramaiah tweeted.
Meanwhile, former Chief Minister and Janata Dal (Secular) leader H.D. Kumaraswamy said that Mr. Thackeray’s statements reflected the Chinese expansionist language and hurt the federal structure that was based on linguistic organisation of States.
“Several Kannada-speaking kings have ruled over large parts of Maharashtra. If Uddhav Thackeray goes through history, one will understand who has occupied whose land and who has to concede the land to whom,” he tweeted on Monday.
Stating that Mr. Thackeray would not have spoken in such a language if MES was kept in check, he said: “Mahajan Commission report is final when it comes to border issue. Disrupting the harmony among people in Belagavi should be considered anti-national. Belagavi is an integral part of Karnataka and Suvarna Soudha was built to answer claims of Maharashtra. The purpose of building Suvarna Soudha will be met with its appropriate utilisation,” he said.
