Congress demands CM Eknath Shinde convene all-party meeting to explain government's stand over border row

The Congress alleged the border dispute with Karnataka is being stoked by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) under a  conspiracy to divide Maharashtra and demanded chief minister Eknath Shinde convene an all-party meeting to explain the government's stand.

Maharashtra Congress chief Nana Patole alleged the Karnataka Chief Minister was working on the instructions of the Central government and select industrialists. The BJP is stoking the border dispute with Karnataka as part of a conspiracy to divide Maharashtra, Patole alleged.

According to a report of PTI, The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government in Karnataka is deliberately spoiling the environment in the border areas and Marathi people are being beaten up and their property is damaged. The people of Maharashtra will not tolerate the bullying by Karnataka. Maharashtra has taken a stand of observing restraint but if we lose our restraint, Karnataka and the Central government will have to bear the consequences, Patole told reporters.

He alleged Karnataka is staking claims to certain areas in Maharashtra on the instructions of the Narendra Modi government and select industrialists. Karnataka Chief Minister (Basavraj) Bommai is making inflammatory statements every day but there is no response from the Maharashtra government. The situation is such that people are questioning whether there is a government in Maharashtra or not, he alleged.

What is Maharashtra’s position on the border issue? What will be their next course of action? Since there is a BJP government in Karnataka and at the Centre, is the Centre giving instructions to Karnataka on the issue? We don’t know this but as this matter is serious, our Chief Minister should call the leaders of all the parties in the state and discuss it, he said.