Sena-Congress tiff reignites over Karnataka-Maha border; DK Shivakumar slams Thackeray

Lashing out at Congress' Maharashtra ally - Shiv Sena, Karnataka Congress chief D K Shivakumar on Monday, slammed Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray's promise to 'get back Marathi-speaking areas from Karnataka'. Echoing CM Yediyurappa, Shivakumar said that 'not one inch from Karnataka will be given to Karnataka'. The Maharashtra CM reignited the regional issue on Sunday, stating that bringing back the Marathi-speaking areas of Karnataka into the state was the only befitting tribute to martyrs.

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Congress: 'Not one inch of Karnataka'

Earlier in the day, CM BS Yediyurappa condemned his Maharashtra counterpart's statement sayng that his government would not even give an inch of land from Karnataka to the neighbouring state. Similarly, senior Congress leader Siddaramaiah slammed the Maharashtra CM for his statement and warned against instigating the people of Karnataka. Calling upon Thackeray to act in a responsible manner, the former CM made it clear that the people will never compromise or politicize on matters related to land, water and language of Karnataka. 

'Not going to give an inch of land from this side': Yediyurappa takes on Maharashtra CM

CM: 'Will incorporate Marathi-speaking Karnataka'

On Sunday,  CM Uddhav Thackeray paid tribute to the martyrs of the border war, stating that bringing back the Marathi-speaking areas of Karnataka into the state was the only befitting tribute. Asserting his commitment to solve the 'border dispute', Thackeray added promised to fulfill it. Thackeray had reignited the regional issue in December 2019, when he referred to Belgaum as  'Karnataka-occupied-Maharashtra' in Assembly.

"Like PoK, there was a Karnataka-occupied Maharashtra. People in Belgaum are not only Hindus but also Marathi-speaking people and wanted to be part of Maharashtra. However, they are facing oppression from the BJP-led government in Karnataka. Even for speaking the truth, the Belgaum mayor was booked for treason," he said in the Assembly. Later Shiv Sena workers burnt effigies of Karnataka CM Yediyurappa in Kolhapur, stopped state transport buses from going to Belgaum and stalled the screening of a Kannada film in a theatre Kolhapur.

Maharashtra CM promises to get back 'Marathi-speaking' border areas from Karnataka

Karnataka-Maharashtra border issue

The border issue involves a set of 800+ villages along with Belgaum district being claimed by Maharashtra as a part of the state on linguistic grounds. The Marathi-speaking majority district, which was previously a part of the Bombay presidency was given to Karnataka after independence. While several Maharashtra leaders including Senapati Bapat have fought for regaining Belgaum, the government-appointed Mahajan Commission awarded Maharashtra 264 villages including Nandagad, Nippani Khanapur in 1967, but let Karnataka keep Belgaum, while Kasargod went to Kerala. Later in 2005, the Maharashtra government filed a petition in the Supreme Court staking claim over Belgaum. The Supreme Court began its hearing on Maharashtra's petition on 17 January 2007 and is still being heard in the apex court.

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