JOIN USMaharashtra Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan on Monday informed the State Assembly that he would speak to his Karnataka counterpart Jagadish Shettar on the FIR filed against Home Minister R R Patil by the Karnataka police for allegedly making an inflammatory speech on the contentious Belgaum issue.
Patil had made the remarks, while speaking at a function in Belgaum to celebrate the birthday of Kiran Thakur, leader of the Maharashtra Ekikaran Samithi and editor of Marathi daily ‘Tarun Bharat’ recently.
The police had booked a case under IPC Section 153 (A), dealing with words, gestures and acts that create chasm between communities on the basis of religion, race, place of birth and language, under the Representation of the People’s Act.
The issue sparked protests in both Houses of the Maharashtra legislature. State Labour Minister Hassan Mushrif condemned the neighbouring state government and urged Chavan to initiate a dialogue with the Karnataka chief minister.
Chavan, in turn, assured the House that he was willing not only to speak to Karnataka, but also to lead an all-party delegation to meet the prime minister to discuss the boundary issue once again.