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Shutdowns, Roadblock to Mark President's Belgaum Visit

  •   Wed, Oct 10 2012 06:49:15 PM

Mumbai, Oct 10 (IANS) : The Shiv Sena has called for shutdown in four districts of Maharashtra to "express the emotions" of people over President Pranab Mukherjee's visit to Belgaum, the disputed town on the Maharashtra-Karnataka boundary, a party official said Wednesday.

The president is Thursday scheduled to visit Belgaum and inaugurate the new legislature building (Vidhan Bhavan) there after the town was accorded a second capital status by the Karnataka government recently.













Latest pics from Belgaum Suvarna Saudha

Senior Shiv Sena leader and legislator Diwakar Raote here said the party has given a call for shutdown in Sindhudurg, Kolhapur, Sangli and Satara districts, all bordering Karnataka.

The main Kolhapur-Belgaum highway will also be blocked, Raote said.
"We wish to express the strong sentiments of 100-million Maharashtrians and one million Marathi-speaking people of Belgaum and other parts of Karnataka," Raote told IANS.

He added that since the matter was pending before the Supreme Court, Thursday's function by the president could send a wrong message on the long-pending border dispute between Maharashtra and Karnataka.

Raote said Shiv Sena executive president Uddhav Thackeray and other senior leaders have already made their stand clear on the issue.

While Nationalist Congress Party leader and minister Chhagan Bhujbal wrote to the president requesting him not to attend the function, Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan also conveyed the state's sentiments to the central government in this regard.

"Your inaugurating the Vidhan Bhavan would amount to the central government's tacit endorsement of that (Karnataka) state disregarding Maharashtra's legitimate claims," Bhujbal said in his letter to President Mukherjee two days ago.

Maharashtra Ekikaran Samiti chief Balasaheb Kakatkar voiced reservations about the presidential visit to Belgaum, saying the matter was still pending in the apex court.

Besides Belgaum, 864 villages in Karnataka have a majority of Marathi-speaking people. These areas continue to be the bone of contention between the two states for the past 56 years.

 
  

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Comment on this article

  • John Tauro, Mangalore / Kuwait

    Thu, Oct 11 2012

    Before going in for another posh luxurious Vidhana Soudha the govt. ought to fulfill the necessities of the natives of Belgaum. Karnataka had added fuel to fire by constructing legislature and declaring Belgaum as second capital. This shouldn't have happened when the border dispute remains unsettled. Do you think construction of legislature and declaration of the city as second capital will deter Maharashtra from staking its claim on Belgaum? The govt. needs to convince Maharashtra first that Belgaum is an integral part of Karnataka. That Karnataka is a multilingual state and hence Marathi is also one of its languages.

    This has to be achieved by winning the support of the local people through implementation of various developmental projects and by working for their welfare and progress. To me construction of a second legislature by spending crores of rupees is mere waste of public money. It is an uneconomic development, a development with zero benefit to the common people of the region. The new legislature will be utilized for nothing other than picnicking, from B'lore to Balgaum, by ministers and MLAs.

    DisAgree [3] Agree [5] Reply Report Abuse

  • R.Bhandarkar., M

    Thu, Oct 11 2012

    Karn -Maha
    Yeh Yudh ka naam Rajya 'SEEMA'
    Wahan Jawaan Lade 'SEEMA'PAR
    Aur Badaye 'Desh' Ki Gareema
    Yeh Kya Bhai Bandaron Ka Kaarnama?

    DisAgree [1] Agree [2] Reply Report Abuse

  • Naveen, Mangalore

    Thu, Oct 11 2012

    Why politicians are interested only in devision..they want to devide country by language, caste, religion, creed, geography and so on..

    When these politicians learn, mature, grow and talk about good things that build country..Politicans please leave your selfishness

    DisAgree Agree Reply Report Abuse

  • Mallikarjuna , Belgaum

    Thu, Oct 11 2012

    Prasheesh Mumbai, you are correct, Kasargod, in Kerala and Akkalkote & Jatth Talukas in Maharashtra have 70% Kannadigas, still they have adjusted with the adverse circumstances and not hostile to the state where they live presently. In Jatth and Akkalkot Talukas majority of kannadigas are sending their Children to Marathi medium schools, so that it will be convenient to get govt jobs in Maharashtra which shows they have mentally prepared to live in Maharashtra permanently.

    As against the above, the Marathi people in Belgaum City form only 40% of Population, and Kannadigas are 30% and remaining 30% is Urdu & Konkani. Even in Khanapur & Nippani Talukas the Marathi people form only 55%, but these two Taluks have been awarded to Maharastra as per Mahajan Report which Maharashtra has not accepted.
    As Belgaum dist has nearly 70 km common border with Goa state a large number of Konkani speaking people ( both Hindus & Catholics) have migrated and settled here centuries ago, but even though Konkani is similar to Marathi still Konkani people have totally assimilated with Karnataka. Even Urdu people are very close to Kannada. Then why Marathi people who have common culture with Kannadigas, were not able to adjust with Karnataka state and Kannada Language even after 56 years of formation of Karnataka ?.
    The Broad-mindedness of Kannadigas has been appreciated every where and even Raj Thankerey of MNC-Mumbai has counselled that Marathi people of Belgaum should live peacefully in Karnataka since Karnataka is not in Pakistan but it is well within India having same Culture and Religion like Maharashtra. Why other politicians of Maharashtra cannot emulate Raj Thackrey.

    DisAgree Agree [9] Reply Report Abuse

  • Ashok Kotian, Mangalore / Mumbai

    Thu, Oct 11 2012

    When will India be one? It will only remain a dream now with everyone thinking about themselves. God bless India.

    DisAgree [1] Agree [6] Reply Report Abuse

  • Sanjeev Kamath, Udupi / Bahrain

    Thu, Oct 11 2012

    The Thackereys want their share of loot from Karnataka through the infra companies for building 'concrete' roads with mud!!

    DisAgree Agree [13] Reply Report Abuse

  • Prasheesh Kumar. S., Mumbai

    Thu, Oct 11 2012

    The hostile Marathi people should learn some sanity from Kannadigas of Border (Gadinaadu Kannadigas) from our Kasargod, and Akkalkot, Jatth & Solapur Taluks, where even though Kannadigas form 70% of the Population, and also these areas have been awarded to Karnataka by Mahajan commission, still these Gadinaadu Kannadigas have fully assimilated with the State they are wrongly affiliated in 1956.

    DisAgree Agree [21] Reply Report Abuse


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