The central government told the Supreme Court that the State Reorganisation Commission (SRC) had justified the inclusion of 814 villages having majority Marathi speaking people of Belgaum with Karnataka for the betterment of the people.

The issue of border dispute between Karnataka and Maharashtra will come up for hearing before the Court of  Chief Justice K G Balakrishnan on March 25.

Quoting the press note circulated on February 23, 1954 by the Union Home Ministry, the Centre said, “The language and culture of an area have an undoubted importance as they represent a pattern of living which is common in that area. In considering a reorganization of states, however, there are other important factors which have also to be borne in mind.”

“The first essential consideration is the preservation and strengthening of the unity and security of India. Financial, economic and administrative considerations are almost equally important, not only from the point of view of each state, but for the whole nation,” said the note.

The SRC under chairmanship of Mr Saiyid Fazl Ali had considered the contentious border dispute issue between the two states, but favoured inclusion of this region with Karnataka.

The report said Chandgad taluk of Belgaum district has predominantly Marathi-speaking people.

Of affiliations

“As regard to the remaining ten taluks of  Belgaum (including Belgaum town), as well as portions of Chikodi taluk,  they have closer affiliations with the Marathi-speaking districts of Bombay than with the adjoining areas in the proposed Karnataka state.”

The affidavit prepared by Solicitor General of India G E Vahanvati said the Centre has relied upon the SRC report for a better appreciation of the contents and of the issues in hand.