Demand for federal rule in Karnataka border sparks fresh row

The Maharashtra Government’s recent demand for imposition of Federal rule in borders areas of Karnataka, particularly in Marathi-speaking areas of Belgaum and Bidar, has raised the hackles of Government and opposition parites in Karnataka.

Even though the H D Kumaraswamy-led coalition Government in Karnataka claimed that it was fully prepared to counter the Maharashtra Government on the vexed border row, the Congress, which is the principal opposition party in Karnataka, has called for an all-party meeting to take a serious note of the “disturbing” moves of Maharashtra Government.

Leader of the Opposition Dharam Singh, who is also a former Chief Minister, told reporters in Bangalore that the Maharashtra Government had filed a fresh petition in the Supreme Court seeking a direction to the Manmohan Singh Government to bring a total of 835 villages in border districts of Belgaum and Bidar under Federal rule. Several parts of Nippani and Khanapur in Belgaum, two predominantly Marathi-speaking areas, besides areas of Bidar district had been identified by the Maharashtra Government for imposition of Federal rule, the Congress leader said.

“The State Government should treat the issue with utmost seriousness and call for an all-party meeting to discuss the disturbing development”, Singh said.

Maharashtra Government is understood to have cited the “feeling of insecurity” among Marathi-speaking people in Belgaum and surrounding areas to justify its demand for imposition of Federal rule. The Maharashtra Government in its petition has also cited the humiliating assault on Mayor of Belgaum in Bangalore by pro-Kannada activists.

But, Karnataka’s Law Minister Basavaraj Horatti said Karnataka Cabinet had noted with concern the Maharashtra Government's new move during its recent meeting and has asked the legal department to be prepared to fight the issue in the Supreme Court. “As far as Karnataka is concerned, the Mahajan Commission report on the Belgaum dispute is final. Our response to the Supreme Court will be based on the Mahajan Commission report, which states that Belgaum is part of Karnataka”, he said.
Meanwhile, several pro-Kannada organizations in the border areas are infuriated over the new development. They have written to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to bring pressure on Maharashtra Government to abide by the Mahajan Commission report. The pro-Kannada organizations have noted with regret that Maharashtra Government had been failed to adhere to the solution recommended by the Mahajan Commission