Enough, Don’t Ever Rake up Boundary issue, CM tells Maharashtra
From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network

BANGALORE, JUL 8: Emboldened by the Centre’s affidavit in the Supreme Court  suggesting rejection of Maharashtra’s special leave petition on the border issue with costs and categorical assertion that the Marathi-speaking areas of Belgaum, Karwar and Gulbarga districts were part of Karnataka, Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa has virtually asked the neighbouring state to ``shut up” and never rake up the issue again..

Yeddyurappa, who has been criticising the Congress-led UPA regime for its step-motherly treatment to BJP-ruled Karnataka on various issues, was warmly appreciative of the Centre categorical assertion in the Supreme Court on the border issue which was being frequently raised by Maharashtrian leaders time and again with the aim of provoking emotions among the Marathi-speaking people.

"I wish to personally thank and congratulate Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, home minister P Chidambaram and other Central ministers from the State for the firm stand taken by the Centre,” he said and promised to personally lead an all party delegation to meet the Prime Minister and other Central leaders  to thank them on behalf of the people of Karnataka.

Responding to the issue raised by Congress party’s deputy leader in the Karnataka Legislative Assembly T B Jayachandra, the Chief Minister expressed his happiness at the unambiguous stand taken by the Centre to put an end to the six-year-long litigation in the apex court by Maharashtra by stating that there was no valid ground for accepting Maharashtra’s claims for the merger of Marathi-speaking areas in the state as language alone cannot be the sole criterion.
Yeddyurappa said the linguistic chaunists in the neighboring state had not tolerated cordial ties between Marathi and Kannada speaking people in border areas of Karnataka.

To celebrate the victory on the boundary issue, he declared that the Government would hold a 15-day winter session of the State legislature in Belguam later this year.

"I will be able to give more details on the boundary issue after receiving a copy
of the affidavit submitted to the apex court by the Centre,” the Chief Minister said.
Jayachandra praised the Centre for protecting the boundary of the State and termed the Centre’s decision as a “historic” development.

"There are a large number of Kannada-speaking people in Sholapur and Kolhapur and at different places (in Maharashtra). If they are also declared as Union Territories, the issue will not stop anywhere," he said condemning the stand taken by Maharashtrian leaders to declare the Marathi-speaking areas in the state as Union Territories if they cannot be merged with the neighbouring state.

Competition among the states should not be in terms of ‘snatching villages’ but focus should be on development, administration and governance, he argued.