JOIN USBelgaum issue comes to the fore on eve of Maharashtra Budget Session
The vexed Maharashtra-Karnataka boundary dispute came to the fore yet again on the eve of Budget Session of the Maharashtra Legislature on Sunday.
Targeting BJP, chief minister Uddhav Thackeray wanted to know what it has done as the party has been in power at the Centre for over six years.
Thackeray’s comments came hours after leader of opposition Devendra Fadnavis said that BJP would extend full support to the government in whatever steps it takes. “We are with the government on the Belgaum issue,” Fadnavis said.
Thackeray said: “The leader of opposition has extended support to us...we welcome it...but in Centre, there is a BJP government for last 6 years....your government was in Maharashtra for five years....a BJP government is in Karnataka for last 2 years.”
It needs to be mentioned that the Maharashtra-Karnataka boundary dispute figure in the discussion in the Legislature in the state.
The issue also finds mention in the Budget Session address of the state governor.
It may be recalled in January, calling for a “time-bound programme” to address the vexed Maharashtra-Karnataka boundary issue, Thackeray had reiterated the demand of bringing the Marathi-speaking areas on the border under a Union Territory till the Supreme Court gives its verdict.
The government had also released a book - ‘Maharashtra-Karnataka Seemavad: Sangharsh Ani Sankalp’ (Maharashtra-Karnataka Boundary Dispute: Struggle and Pledge), a book penned by Dr Deepak Pawar, that runs into 530 pages.