Maharashtra bids to acquire 865 border villages in Karnataka

NAGPUR: Days after the Karnataka legislature cleared a resolution on the inter-state border dispute saying it would not give an inch of land to Maharashtra, both houses of Maharashtra legislature on Tuesday unanimously passed a resolution to legally pursue inclusion of 865 Marathi-speaking villages and its citizens into the state and make all-out efforts to contest the ongoing case in Supreme Court. Among the villages to be included in Maharashtra are Belagavi (earlier Belgaum), Karwar, Bidar, Balki and Nipani.
The resolution, tabled by CM Eknath Shinde in the assembly, spoke about firmly standing behind the Marathi-speaking people of the 865 villages. The CM informed the House the government has roped in noted lawyer Harish Salve to represent Maharashtra in the SC.
The resolution also requested Karnataka government to abide by terms and conditions finalised during a meeting of its CM Basavaraj Bommai with Shinde and deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis with union home minister Amit Shah in New Delhi recently. It called upon the Karnataka government to ensure safety of Marathi-speaking people in these villages.
In the Maharashtra assembly, speaker Rahul Narvekar put the resolution to vote after the CM read it out. Members from treasury and opposition benches passed it with a voice vote.
In the council, Shinde tabled the resolution, and it was put to vote by deputy chairperson Neelam Gorhe and passed by voice vote. Later, Fadnavis said the government is open to discussion with the opposition over resolution of the border row.
Saluting martyrs who had sacrificed their lives during the struggle to merge the 865 villages with Maharashtra, Shinde thanked members and listed out measures taken by his government to provide benefits to people from these 865 villages.
The CM said youths from border areas would be recruited in government jobs in Maharashtra if they were found eligible.
Watch Border row: Maharashtra assembly passes resolution, CM Shinde assures to take back 5 cities from Karnataka