After Karnataka, Maharashtra passes resolution on border dispute

Following the resolution passed in the Karnataka Legislative Assembly on Thursday to protect the state's sovereignty and interests in the backdrop of its border dispute with Maharashtra, the latter's state Assembly also passed a similar resolution unanimously on Tuesday. Maharashtra's Chief Minister Eknath Shinde condemned Karnataka for its "anti-Marathi" stance and appealed to the Centre to ask Karnataka to implement the mutually agreed decisions.

• The inter-state border conflict began in the 1950s, with both states laying claims to hundreds of towns administered by the other.
• The dispute reignited after Karnataka's CM Basavaraj Bommai claimed last month that certain villages in Maharashtra wanted to merge with Karnataka.
• Both states are currently ruled by the BJP, but the conflict is likely to escalate as Karnataka goes to polls next year.

The resolution in Maharashtra's state Assembly states that "every inch" of the 865 disputed Marathi-speaking villages, which are currently administered by Karnataka, will become part of Maharashtra. It asserted that the Maharashtra government will undertake all legal pursuits required for the same in the Supreme Court. It further says that the Karnataka government should guarantee the safety of the Marathi people in border areas.

Karnataka's former CM, Siddaramaiah, termed the resolution by Maharashtra as "nothing but provocation by the state." Its resolution condemned the dispute "created" by Maharashtra and asserted that there would be no compromise on the matters relating to Karnataka's land, water, language, and Kannadiga interest. The CMs of both states met earlier with Union Home Minister Amit Shah and agreed to maintain peace.

Last week, Sanjay Raut of Uddhav Thackeray's Shiv Sena faction stoked controversy by saying that they would enter Karnataka without permission just as China entered India. Bommai called Raut an anti-national and a Chinese agent. Thackeray's Sena is attacking the Shinde government for not taking a strict enough stance on the border issue. Shinde came to power with the BJP by toppling Thackeray's government.

Maharashtra has insisted that nearly 865 border villages/cities, including the likes of Nipani, Belagavi (previously Belgaum), and Karwar, should be merged with the state. Meanwhile, Karnataka has declared its rights over 260 Kannada-speaking border villages that are part of Maharashtra.