Bengaluru: Protests erupted in parts of Karnataka on Monday, including in the district headquarters city of Belagavi, on Monday in a strong condemnation of Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thackeray’s statement on the sensitive border issue.
Political leaders cutting across party lines came down heavily on Thackeray.
“There is no question of giving even an inch of land from Karnataka to Maharashtra. He should give up issuing statements just for political reasons,” Karnataka chief minister B.S. Yediyurappa told reporters on Monday.
“I am pained at Maharashtra Chief Ministers remarks that can disturb the prevailing harmonious atmosphere. I expect Shri Uddhav Thackeray, as a true Indian, to show his commitment and respect to the principles of federalism in letter and spirit,” Yediyurappa said.
Thackeray said on Sunday his government is committed to incorporate areas of Karnataka where Marathi-speaking people are in majority into Maharashtra.
This will be the “true tribute” to martyrs of the cause, the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO) said in a tweet.
Maharashtra claims Belagavi (earlier called as Belgaum) and some other areas, part of the erstwhile Bombay Presidency but currently in Karnataka, on linguistic grounds.
Maharashtra Ekikaran Samiti, a regional organisation fighting for the merger of Belagavi and some other border areas with Maharashtra, observes January 17 as “martyrs’ day” for those who laid down their lives for the cause in 1956.
“Bringing Karnataka-occupied Marathi-speaking and cultural areas in Maharashtra will be the true tribute to those who accepted martyrdom in the boundary battle. We are united and committed towards it. Respects to the martyrs with this promise,” the CMO tweeted.
On Monday, pro-Kannada organisations held demonstrations and burnt Thackeray’s effigy in parts of the state.
A few pro-Marathi activists led by local units of Shiv Sena and Maharashtra Ekikaran Samiti had organised martyrs’ day celebrations in Belagavi on Sunday.
They demanded the merger of Belagavi, Karwar, Nippani, Bidar and Bhalki with Maharashtra.
Thackeray’s statement came on a day when Union home minister Amit Shah and Yediyurappa along with his cabinet colleagues and BJP legislators were present in Belagavi to commemorate the victory of BJP-backed village panchayat members in the recent elections.
Yediyurappa added on Monday that Marathi-speaking people have been living in harmony with Kannadigas in Karnataka.
Likewise, Kannadigas living in the border districts of Maharashtra are living in harmony with the Marathi people there, he said.
The Karnataka chief minister condemned Thackeray’s comments, saying it can disrupt peace and harmony.
Hitting out at Thackeray, former chief minister and Congress leader Siddaramaiah tweeted, “Belagavi is an integral part of Karnataka. Don’t try to instigate us by bringing up the issue which is already resolved.”
Cautioning Thackeray not to politicise the issue, Siddaramaiah reminded him that he is not just a Shiv Sena activist but also a chief minister.
Lashing out at Thackeray, JDS leader and former chief minister H.D. Kumaraswamy said, “Looking at his tweets, it appears like a statement issued by a terrorist.”
In his tweets, Kumaraswamy likened Thackeray’s statement with Chinese expansionism.
“Uddhav Thackeray’s irresponsible statement that ‘Karnataka occupied territories will be annexed to Maharashtra’ sounds like Chinese expansionism. Such an expansionism will jeopardise the harmony among states formed on the linguistic ground,” Kumaraswamy said in a statement.
Karnataka deputy chief minister Laxman Savadi, home minister Basavaraj Bommai and several others condemned Thackeray’s statement.
