Amit Shah Holds Meeting With Maharashtra And Karnataka Chief Ministers On The Border Dispute

The Union Home Minister Amit Shah held a meeting with the Chief Ministers of Maharashtra and Karnataka on the border dispute between the two states in New Delhi today. This was stated in an official press communication given by the Press Information Bureau. 

Addressing the media after the meeting, Amit Shah said that both the Chief Ministers took an optimistic approach in the forum and came to terms with the fact that in a democracy, conflicts could best be settled only through constitutional means, according to the statement.

Shah added that it was also decided in the meeting that neither of the states would claim each other until the judgement of the Supreme Court and three ministers they'll meet and discuss this issue in detail. Shah said that both states have consented to form a committee under the chairmanship of a senior IPS officer to ensure that law and order are maintained in both that and that people, travellers, or people in business from other states living in the area do not come across any problem.

The Union Home Minister said that in this entire issue, fake tweets in the name of top leaders have also worked to inflame the sentiments of people in both States, which is why it was also decided in the meeting that FIRs will be lodged in cases of such fake tweets. The wrongdoer will be brought before the public. The Union Home Minister said that he expects the leaders of the opposition parties of both States will not give political colour to the issue in the general public's interest.

Earlier, Karnataka CM Basavaraj Bommai met Shah on Friday. He had given points to Shah about the state’s stand and facts regarding the fuming border quarrel with Maharashtra. 

What is this Dispute?
The territorial conflict between the two states has continued for six decades. At the time of India’s independence, Belagavi – then “Belgaum” – was part of the extended Bombay state that made up parts of present-day Maharashtra and Karnataka. The city and the eponymous district, and the administrative division were widely called “Belgaum” by both Marathi and Kannada-speaking people. However, the name was officially changed to “Belagavi” in 2014.

The  States Reorganisation Act of 1956  redrew the boundaries of Indian states and Union territories along with linguistic lines. The Maharashtra government asserts that the hundreds of villages where the dominant language was allegedly Marathi were wrongly handed over to the Mysore state, where Kannada was the dominant language. Mysore was later renamed Karnataka in 1973.

The Maharashtra government went to the Supreme Court in 2004. It also appealed that the border region be conveyed under the Union government’s rule – as a Union Territory – until the top court pronounces a judgement. 

While the conflict is based on linguistic grounds, such claims are subject to contention. Both Maharashtra and Karnataka government claims that their respective language is the dominant language in Belagavi.