The “Karnataka-occupied Maharashtra should be proclaimed as a Union Territory by the national government,” said Uddhav Thackeray in the state Legislative Council, “while the matter is pending before the Supreme Court.”
Nagpur: Uddhav Thackeray, a former chief minister of Maharashtra, urged the federal government to recognize regions of “Karnataka-occupied Maharashtra” as a Union Territory on Monday in the state Legislative Council. Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Thackeray stated in the Upper House that the ongoing boundary issue between Maharashtra and Karnataka is not just a matter of language and border but also of “humanity.”
According to him, Marathi speakers have lived in the border villages for centuries. Marathi is their daily language and way of life, he claimed.
While the Supreme Court is still hearing the matter, “Karnataka-occupied Maharashtra should be declared as a Union Territory by the central government,” he stated.
Thackeray questioned the state government’s position and inquired whether Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde had made any comments on the subject.
The case is still pending, and the status quo is in place, but who is causing trouble? He asked, ostensibly addressing the Karnataka administration.
The Karnataka legislature reaffirmed the state’s position that the boundary dispute had been resolved and that no territory would be transferred to the neighboring state. The function of the federal government as the “protector” of both states was contested by Thackeray.
“Has the central government acted as guardian? We expect the central government to act as the guardian,” he said.
Additionally, he recommended that members of both Houses view the film “Case for Justice” and study the Mahajan Commission report (on the border issue).
According to Thackeray, the action was taken against the corporation when the Belagavi Municipal Corporation decided to unite with Maharashtra.
“Similarly, some gram panchayats of Maharashtra had demanded a merger with Telangana. Does the Shinde government have little courage to even act against these gram panchayats,” he said.
Sanjay Raut, a member of the Rajya Sabha and the leader of the Shiv Sena (UBT), was in the House’s visitors’ gallery.
The border problem first emerged in 1957 following the reorganization of governments along linguistic lines.
Belagavi, a part of the former Bombay Presidency, was claimed by Maharashtra since it contains a sizable Marathi-speaking population. More than 800 Marathi-speaking villages that are today a part of Karnataka were also claimed by it.
Karnataka claims that the linguistic divisions made by the 1967 Mahajan Commission Report and the States Reorganisation Act are conclusive.
