Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Monday shot back saying that those who criticised his Delhi visit should have first known the programme he was attending.‘’We are absolutely committed to the Marathi speaking people living in the border area. We will bring a resolution in this regard on Tuesday,’’ declared Shinde.
‘’Who is criticizing me? Today was Veer Bal Diwas in Delhi. Guru Gobind Singh's two sons of six and nine years were sacrificed. In his honour, the central government celebrated Veer Bal Diwas on 26th December. I was invited to this program by the central government because of the connection between Guru Gobind Singh, Maharashtra and Punjab,’’ he explained. Thereafter, Shinde said he paid a courtesy visit to the Lok Sabha Speaker Om Prakash Birla.
On Thackeray’s demand that the disputed Maharashtra Karnataka border area be declared as union territory, Shinde said, ‘’This matter is pending in the Supreme Court. For the first time, the Union Home Minister intervened and called the Chief Ministers of both the states. He also instructed that no question of law and order should arise while the case is in the court. This subject is 60 years old. We are taking care not to have any impact on this case. Karnataka should also take similar care,’’ said Shinde.
"Those who are demanding that the disputed area be declared as union territory, had stopped the various schemes aimed for Marathi speaking people residing in the border area. Our government revived them. The Chief Minister's Charity Fund was closed. Mahatma Jotiba Phule scheme was discontinued. We started them. We have approved the Rs 2000 crore for Mhaisal irrigation scheme that will make available water for 48 villages from Jat tehsil in Sangli district,’’ he said. Without naming Thackeray, he added that ‘’We don't need to be taught by others.’’