Maharashtra-Karnataka border row: MVA says Shinde must take firmer stance
The Hindu
Maharashtra Chief Minister urges Opposition not to “play politics” on the issue
After protests in Belagavi by pro-Maharashtra outfit Maharashtra Ekikaran Samiti (MES) led to the detention of several leaders of the State, the Opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) again locked horns with the Eknath Shinde-Devendra Fadnavis government for failing to take a firm stance on the border issue with Karnataka.
Leading the charge on the first day of the winter session of the State Legislature in Nagpur on Monday, Leader of Opposition in the Legislative Assembly Ajit Pawar questioned Maharashtra Chief Minister Shinde on how Lok Sabha member Dhairyasheel Mane could be ‘banned’ from entering Belagavi by the district’s authorities in Karnataka. The Chief Ministers of Maharashtra and Karnataka recently met Union Home Minister Amit Shah who sought to bring a “truce” between the two States.
“After the meeting with Amit Shah, how can district officers [of Belagavi] impose such a ban on elected representatives... This kind of dictatorship [on Karnataka’s part] is not right and the Maharashtra CM and Deputy CM [Devendra Fadnavis] must take a firmer stance on the issue,” Mr. Pawar said in the Assembly.
In response, Mr. Shinde said that the issue at stake was one of “Maharashtra’s pride” and that his government had indeed taken a strong stance on the issue. The Chief Minister urged the Opposition not to play politics over the matter.
“The Home Minister himself has mediated in the Maharashtra-Karnataka border issue. There should not be any politics on this issue now. There are several other issues over which we can play politics. Let us instead stand behind our Marathi-speaking brothers and sisters in the border districts,” said Mr. Shinde.
Hundreds of NCP, Shiv Sena (UBT) and Congress workers were detained on the border while attempting to enter Belagavi and sent back to Maharashtra.
Maharashtra Congress chief Nana Patole accused the Centre of trying to “divide” Maharashtra by bringing the border dispute issue with Karnataka to the forefront.