Shiv Sena Working president Uddhav Thackeray on Tuesday demanded status of Union Territory for the disputed Maharashtra-Karnataka boundary area to “stop atrocities” being allegedly committed on Marathi speaking population.
“The disputed area should be declared Union Territory with immediate effect with deployment of CRPF to protect Marathi speaking people in Karnataka from police excesses”, he told reporters here.
Asked whether the measure advocated by him was constitutionally valid, Thackeray said it was necessary to find a way out and suggested forming a body on the lines of “Darjeeling Hill Council” to give effect to the Sena demand.
Replying to questions as to whether the boundary issue was straining his party’s alliance with BJP in Maharashtra, Mr. Thackeray said, “Breaking the saffron alliance is not the solution to the problem. But I appeal to the BJP central leadership to advise Karnataka Chief Minister to observe restraint in dealing with Marathi population in that State“.
The Maharashtra BJP leaders should also explain their stand on the boundary dispute with Karnataka, he added.
Mr. Thackeray said demanding union territory status for the disputed boundary area did not amount to dilution of Sena stand on the issue as it’s meant to be an interim arrangement till the Supreme Court pronounced its order in the case.
When repeatedly asked the constitutional validity of the suggestion, he said, “We can also call the region as Karnataka-occupied Maharashtra on the lines POK”.
“We want Belgaum to be separated from Karnataka first and stopping atrocities on the Marathi speaking population at the hands of police is the foremost priority for us”, he added.
The Centre had shown greater sensitivity towards the “Swatantra Telangana” agitation and was turning a deaf ear to the desperate cries of Marathis in Karnataka being mercilessly beaten by the police in that State, the Sena leader claimed.
In reply to a question he said Congress-NCP ministers from Maharashtra in the UPA government should show guts to resign protesting the Centre’s unfair attitude towards the State. When his attention was drawn to the charge by MNS leader Raj Thackeray that Shiv Sena MPs did not pursue the boundary dispute effectively when the NDA was in power, Mr. Uddhav denied it saying they had taken up the issue with the then Prime Minister A. B. Vajpayee with a rider that Mr. Raj too was in the parent party during that period.
When he was told that CM Mr. Ashok Chavan too had told the ongoing State legislature session today that he would demand Union territory status to the disputed boundary area, Mr. Thackeray said he was happy to know that and welcomed the announcement. “It is a late but right posture”, he added.
