Maharashtra News / 'Mumbai belongs to Maharashtra, not anyone's father', Fadnavis lashes out at Karnataka government

Maharashtra News: Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis strongly condemned the comments of some Karnataka leaders, saying on Wednesday that Mumbai "does not belong to anyone's father". In the Maharashtra Assembly, Fadnavis said the state's sentiments would be conveyed to the Karnataka government and Union Home Minister Amit Shah. Raising the issue in the House, Leader of the Opposition Ajit Pawar claimed that the Karnataka chief minister and ministers were hurting Maharashtra's pride with their comments and the Maharashtra government's response was not befitting it.

NCP leader Ajit Pawar made this demand

Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Pawar said, “(Karnataka's) law minister Madhu Swamy has demanded that Mumbai should be made a union territory. (BJP MLA) Laxman Savadi said Mumbai belongs to Karnataka and he has rubbed salt into the wounds of Marathi people." The NCP leader demanded that the chief minister condemn it in the strongest terms. Fadnavis said, “Mumbai belongs to Maharashtra, not anyone's father. We will not tolerate anyone's claim on Mumbai and we will convey our sentiments to the Karnataka government and the Union Home Minister."

'Will not tolerate anyone's claim on Mumbai'

He said Union Minister Shah would be requested to rebuke such "big-mouthed" leaders. The deputy CM said that in the meeting of chief ministers of both the states with Shah, it was decided that neither of the two sides would make fresh claims. Fadnavis said, “The comments of the Karnataka MLAs or the Karnataka Congress president are contrary to what was decided. Will not tolerate anyone's claim on Mumbai. We condemn it. We will send a letter to the Karnataka government condemning these statements." He said that he will bring it to the notice of the Union Home Minister.

Maharashtra-Karnataka border dispute is 66 years old

Let us inform that the border dispute between Maharashtra and Karnataka is 66 years old. The controversy started with the passing of the States Reorganization Act by the Parliament in 1956. Karnataka was then considered a part of the Mysore State and Maharashtra a part of the Bombay Presidency. Even Gujarat was a part of Bombay Presidency in those days. During the reorganization of states, many Kannada-speaking villages became part of Maharashtra and many Marathi-speaking villages became part of erstwhile Karnataka. Since then, Maharashtra has been claiming 80 Marathi-speaking villages in Karnataka, while Karnataka has been claiming 260 Kannada-speaking villages in Maharashtra.

A day earlier, both the Houses of Maharashtra, the Legislative Assembly and the Legislative Council, had unanimously passed a resolution moved by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde. The resolution states that the government will fight a legal battle to include Belgaum, Karwar Bidar, Nipani, Bhalki towns and 865 Marathi-speaking villages in Maharashtra. These areas are part of Karnataka.

'All disputed areas should be declared as Union Territories'

Meanwhile, former Maharashtra Chief Minister and Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Uddhav Thackeray said on Tuesday that the state government should request the Supreme Court to transfer all disputed areas to the Center as long as the Maharashtra-Karnataka border issue is pending with it. should be declared as a union territory. Condemning the resolution passed in the Maharashtra Legislature, Karnataka Congress President DK Shivakumar on Tuesday said not a single village would be given to the neighboring state. The Karnataka Assembly last Thursday unanimously passed a resolution on the border dispute with Maharashtra, resolving to protect the interests of the southern state and not cede an inch of land to its neighbour.