Belagavi will stay in Karnataka, says CM amid border row with Maharashtra
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Bengaluru: Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Saturday firmly declared that Belagavi is an inseparable part of Karnataka and will never be allowed to merge with Maharashtra.
Reaffirming the state’s stand on the long-standing border dispute, Siddaramaiah said the Mahajan Committee report on the Karnataka–Maharashtra boundary is final and binding.
“There will be no compromise on the Belagavi issue. The Maharashtra government has approached the Supreme Court, but the Mahajan report is final. We will not let go of Belagavi because it is Kannada land and a part of Karnataka. No one can deny this,” the Chief Minister said after flagging off a grand procession of Goddess Bhuvaneshwari and Annama Devi at Nrupatunga Mantapa, Mysore Bank Circle.
The border dispute between the two states has persisted for decades, with Maharashtra claiming Belagavi and adjoining areas, citing their substantial Marathi-speaking population. Karnataka, however, has consistently rejected the claim, maintaining that the Mahajan Commission’s findings uphold its position.
Karnataka underscores Belagavi’s importance by holding one session of the Vidhana Sabha annually at the Suvarna Vidhana Soudha, a replica of the state legislature building in Bengaluru.
Siddaramaiah noted that the influence of the Maharashtra Ekikaran Samiti (MES), which once had five MLAs in the state, has now dwindled to zero.
“The MES people are also Kannadigas. If anyone among them indulges in rowdyism, we will deal with them firmly,” he asserted.
Addressing Kannada activists, the Chief Minister assured that the government is committed to supporting Kannada-medium schools in border regions and promised to withdraw cases filed against activists during pro-Kannada agitations.
Praising the activists for their persistent efforts to protect the state’s interests, Siddaramaiah urged citizens to take pride in Karnataka’s land, language, and culture.
“We must create an atmosphere of Kannada in our land. No matter in which language someone speaks to you, you must reply in Kannada,” he said.
The Chief Minister appealed to all residents to respect and nurture the Kannada identity, adding, “Let us take a pledge that we will speak only in Kannada on Kannada soil.”
Responding to activists’ demand for a bilingual policy, Siddaramaiah said he personally supports the idea but noted that its legal implementation requires discussion in the Cabinet.
With PTI inputs