Maha Deputy CM speaks to Home Minister Amit Shah over Karnataka-Maharashtra border row

In a massive development, Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis spoke with Union Home Minister Amit Shah over the ongoing Maharashtra-Karnataka border dispute.

This comes after massive protests by activists in large numbers tried to enter the disputed district on Tuesday, where two Maharashtra ministers were supposed to hold meetings.

"The border dispute between Karnataka and Maharashtra turned violent on Tuesday after several vehicles bearing Maharashtra registration numbers were stone pelted by pro-Kannada groups in Hire Bagewadi area, about 25km from Belagavi district in Karnataka", said police.

And after seeing the conditions deteriorating, bus services from Belagavi to Maharashtra's border area were also suspended.
The border issue dates back to 1957 after the reorganisation of states on linguistic lines. Maharashtra laid claim to Belagavi, which was a part of the erstwhile Bombay Presidency as it has a sizeable Marathi-speaking population. It also laid claim to 814 Marathi-speaking villages which are currently part of Karnataka.

Karnataka-Maharashtra border dispute

The border issue dates back to 1957 after the reorganisation of states on linguistic lines. Maharashtra laid claim to Belagavi, which was a part of the erstwhile Bombay Presidency as it has a sizeable Marathi-speaking population. It also laid claim to 814 Marathi-speaking villages which are currently part of Karnataka.

The present controversy mounted after Basavaraj Bommai asserted that his government was seriously considering the resolution passed by some villages in the Jat taluka of Maharashtra's Sangli district to merge with Karnataka.

To this, Devendra Fadnavis said that no village in his state will be ceded to Karnataka.