MES decries Centre’s move on Belgaum row

The Maharashtra Ekikaran Samithi (MES) has decried the Federal Government’s affidavit filed before the Supreme Court opposing Maharashtra’s claim on certain Marathi-speaking areas of Belgaum in Karnataka.

Claiming that the Federal Government had meted out injustice to Marathi-speaking people in Belgaum and other border areas of Karnataka, MES is now looking towards leaders in Maharashtra to chalk out is next course of action.

MES legislator from Belgaum Manohar Kinekar took exception to the Federal Government’s failure to consider the aspirations of Marathi-speaking people in the border areas before filing its affidavit in the Supreme Court.

But, Kannada organizations in Karnataka have welcomed the affidavit, which backs the State Government’s stand on the border row.

The Federal Government has submitted to the Apex Court, which is hearing a case on the border dispute before Karnataka and Maharashtra, that it was “neither feasible nor desirable” to demarcate borders of a state on the basis of one language. For, such a solution has severe practical problems and consequences.

Though the language of the people was one among the several criteria for the inclusion of any area in a state, the affidavit said the Federal Government as well as the Parliament had considered all relevant factors during the passing of the States Reorganization Act.

Hence, the Federal Government submitted before the Apex Court that it was in favour of settling the long-standing border row between Karnataka and Maharashtra through mutual negotiations.
The Federal Government’s affidavit has come as a dampener to the hopes of MES, which has been spearheading an agitation for merger of Belgaum with Maharashtra. But, the Kannada organizations in Karnataka have urged the Federal Government to implement the Mahajan Commission report to resolve the border dispute.