Fadnavis refutes giving any 'provocative' statement; hits back at Bommai over border row

Speaking to the media on Thursday, Maharashtra Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis hit back at Karnataka CM Basavaraj Bommai for calling his statement 'provocative'. Observing that the border dispute has been pending for many decades, Fadnavis affirmed that he was only reiterating Maharashtra's stance on the issue. He exuded confidence in the Supreme Court taking a just decision in this regard. On this occasion, he also dismissed the opposition's charge that the state government wasn't taking proactive steps as there is a BJP government in Karnataka. 

Devendra Fadnavis said, "This issue is going on since the state was formed. Maharashtra has remained firm on its stance. There is a Constitution in this country. States have rights under the aegis of the Constitution. We have put forth our demand before the Supreme Court. We have submitted all proofs before the Supreme Court. We hope that the Supreme Court will take an appropriate decision in this regard. No one is bigger than the Supreme Court. The Karnataka CM is not bigger than the Supreme Court. Irrespective of whatever he claims, no village in Maharashtra will go. I am hopeful that we will retrieve our border areas."

"I didn't make a provocative statement. I only talked about Belgaum, Karwar, Nippani and other villages on which we have staked a claim. We are fighting for this in the Supreme Court. It is our stance. I have put forth that stance. So, to call it provocative is extremely wrong. No one can call a demand within the confines of the law which has been put forth before the Supreme Court provocative," he added. 

The Maharashtra Deputy CM elaborated, "More than us, Congress and its allies had a government in Maharashtra, Karnataka and the Centre. Did the issue get resolved then? That's why people should think before speaking. We have seen different governments in Karnataka who have put forth the same demand. In Maharashtra too, all governments adopted the same view."

Maharashtra-Karnataka border dispute

There has been a longstanding dispute between Maharashtra and Karnataka over the status of predominantly Marathi-speaking regions such as Belagavi. The present controversy emanated from Basavaraj Bommai's assertion on Tuesday 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. Retorting to this, Fadnavis stressed that not a single village in his state will be ceded to Karnataka. In response, the Karnataka CM dubbed it a 'provocative' remark and staked claim to Kannada-speaking regions of Maharashtra.