The Hindu

Udupi, Jan 27: Home Minister V.S. Acharya has said that the State Government is not anti-democratic or anti-language.

He was speaking to presspersons here on Monday.

To a question on the border row with Maharashtra, Dr. Acharya said: “We were ready to give permission to the ‘Maha Melava’ (massive convention) planned by Maharashtra Ekikarna Samiti in Belgaum on January 16. But they planned to observe a ‘Balidan Din’ on January 17, hence we were forced to deny permission to it,” he said.

Dr. Acharya said that both Houses of State legislature had unanimously passed a resolution demanding implementation of the Mahajan Commission Report. “We want the message to reach everyone,” he said.

Mining issue

On the mining issue, he said the State Government had not issued fresh licences.

“We are following a pro-development mining policy. We want value addition done to the iron ore being mined in the State. We have given suitable reply to all the queries on the issue raised by the Opposition at the Belgaum legislature session. Though many important issues were discussed at the session, there was scope for further discussion,” the Minister said.