Centre should declare 'Karnataka-occupied Maharashtra' as Union Territory: Uddhav Thackeray

Former Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thackeray on Monday said in the state Legislative Council that the central government should declare Karnatakaoccupied Maharashtra areas as a Union Territory reported news agency PTISpeaking in the Upper House on the raging boundary dispute between Maharashtra and Karnataka Shiv Sena UBT leader Thackeray said it is not just a case of language and border but of humanityThackeray said Marathispeaking people have been residing in the border villages from generations Their daily life language and lifestyle is Marathi he saidTill the issue is pending before the Supreme Court the Karnatakaoccupied Maharashtra should be declared as a Union Territory by the central government he saidThackeray also asked whether Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde has said a word about the issue and questioned the state governments stand on itThe matter is subjudice and there is a status quo on it but who is spoiling the atmosphere he asked apparently targeting the Karnataka governmentAlso Read There can be no compromise on Maharashtras self respect and pride says Uddhav ThackerayWhile Karnataka CM Basavaraj Bommai is aggressive on border row CM Eknath Shinde is silent Until the SC decides Belagavi Karwar and Nippani should be declared as a union territory This should be added in the proposal that is to be passed in the Assembly Thackeray saidNagpur While Karnataka CM is aggressive on border row CM Shinde is silent Until the SC decides Belagavi Karwar and Nippani should be declared as a union territory This should be added in the proposal that is to be passed in the Assembly Uddhav Thackeray pictwittercomAkxfExSKE7mdash ANI ANI December 26 2022The Karnataka legislature has reiterated the states stand that the border issue is a settled one and not an inch of land will be given to the neighbouring stateThackeray questioned the central governments role as guardian of both the statesHas the central government acted as guardian We expect the central government to act as the guardian he saidThackeray also said members of both the Houses should watch the movie Case for Justice and read the Mahajan Commission report on the border issueWhen the Belagavi Municipal Corporation passed a resolution to merge with Maharashtra action was taken against the corporation Thackeray saidSimilarly some gram panchayats of Maharashtra had demanded a merger with Telangana Does the Shinde government have little courage to even act against these gram panchayats he askedRajya Sabha member and Shiv Sena UBT leader Sanjay Raut was present in the visitors gallery of the HouseThe border issue dates back to 1957 after the reorganisation of states on linguistic linesMaharashtra laid claim to Belagavi which was part of the erstwhile Bombay Presidency as it has a sizeable Marathispeaking population It also laid claim to more than 800 Marathispeaking villages which are currently part of KarnatakaKarnataka maintains the demarcation done on linguistic lines as per the States Reorganisation Act and the 1967 Mahajan Commission Report as finalWith inputs from PTI and ANI