Karnataka sends out Belagavi signal, Houses to pass resolution on border row

“If everyone agrees, while giving the government’s reply on the border debate, we will pass a resolution reiterating the state’s stand in both Houses of the legislature. We have already passed several such resolutions, we will reiterate it,” he said, adding that Karnataka’s border interests will be protected.

CM Bommai also criticised Maharashtra politicians for attempting to enter Karnataka, saying it wasn’t right on their part to “forcefully enter the state and create law and order problems… Our stand has been clear and will stick to that forever. The same will be reiterated through a resolution passed by both Houses of the legislature”.

On Monday, the Karnataka Police had prevented several Maharashtra politicians from entering the state.

Members of all political parties, including Leader of Opposition Siddaramaiah, agreed to Bommai’s suggestion of a House resolution. Initiating the debate, Siddaramaiah accused Maharashtra politicians of raking up the border issue when the matter is already settled with the Mahajan Commission report.

On October 25, 1966, the Centre constituted the Mahajan Commission headed by the then Supreme Court Chief Justice Meher Chand Mahajan, at the insistence of Maharashtra. While rejecting Maharashtra’s claim over Belagavi (then Belgaum), the commission recommended 247 villages/places, including Jatt, Akkalkote and Solapur, to be made part of Karnataka. It also declared 264 villages /places, including Nippani, Khanapur and Nandagad, to be made part of Maharashtra.

Siddaramiah also hit out at Bommai over his meeting with Amit Shah in which the Union Home Minister asked the chief ministers of the two states to form a six-member team comprising three ministers from each side to address all boundary issues.

Bommai, however, said Shah had convened the meeting to take stock of the law and order situation. “After the meeting, Amit Shah said the (border) issue should be solved constitutionally. The Karnataka government has not diluted its stand before the Central government or the Supreme Court. I will be the last person to do so,” he added.

Former minister H K Patil, who was in charge of border issues during the Congress government led by Siddaramaiah, accused the police and the Home Minister (Araga Jnanendra) of failing to control the situation.

Explained: A strong message

Karnataka’s decision to pass a unanimous resolution in both Houses of the state legislature, reiterating its state on the Belagavi border issue, signals a hardening of position. The decision comes days after Union Home Minister Amit Shah met Chief Ministers Basavaraj Bommai and Eknath Shinde in a bid to dial down tensions between the two border states.