Kannada organisations write to Siddaramaih over border row

Taking serious exception to some recent decisions of the Maharashtra government pertaining to the inter-State border row, Kannada organisations from Belagavi have written to Chief Minister Siddaramaih seeking immediate, serious, and effective steps to curb the “menacing acts” of the Maharashtra government.

In a letter to the Chief Minister on behalf of the Action Committee of Belagavi District Kannada Organisations (Belagavi Zilla Kannada Sanghatanegala Kriya Samiti), president of the samiti Ashok Chandaragi has taken strong objection to the recent developments in Maharashtra over the border row.

He has said that the decisions taken at a meeting of the border experts committee held in Mumbai Secretariat on October 11 have led to anxiety and concern among Kannadigas residing in border areas.

Previously, the Maharashtra government had announced Mahatma Phule Janarogya Yojna for the Marathi-speaking people of 865 villages and towns of five border districts of Karnataka and on October 11, the meeting decided to implement the same. The previous government led by Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai did not take any step to prevent the intervention of Maharashtra in the administration of Karnataka. And now Maharashtra Ekikaran Samiti (MES) would be liaisoning between the Marathi-speaking community and the Maharashtra government, he has said.

“What is a matter of concern is that the Maharashtra government will set up an office at Chandghad in Kolhapur district, which is located close to Belagavi. The meeting has decided to appoint senior officials and staff at this office, which is against the very interests of Karnataka,” he has said.

He has pointed out that there were two Ministers with border portfolio, an MP heading a border experts committee, and a high- powered committee led by the Chief Minister, whereas in Karnataka there has been no Minister with border portfolio after 2018. There was no high-powered committee on border and the Border Protection Commission was almost non-existent, he said.

Considering the recent developments, it was high time the Chief Minister took decisive steps to protect the interests of the Kannadigas and Karnataka, Mr. Chandaragi said in the letter.