Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Monday dismissed Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray's demand to declare Belagavi, a border district with Maharashtra, as a Union Territory, calling the suggestion "childish."
"It's a childish statement. The Mahajan report is final. So, neither should we ask for anything and nor should they. How can it be declared as union territory? And, if Maharashtra Ekikaran Samiti (MES) protests, will we keep quiet?", said Siddaramaiah.
Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray on Monday alleged injustice against Marathi-speaking residents in Belagavi and reiterated his demand to declare the region a Union Territory. Speaking to reporters in Mumbai, he criticized the situation in Belagavi, claiming it was worsening even as Maharashtra celebrated the formation of its new government.
Meanwhile, the winter session of the Karnataka Assembly commenced in Belagavi amid protests by the Maharashtra Ekikaran Samiti (MES), which advocates for the region's merger with Maharashtra. The Karnataka government reportedly prohibited the MES congregation and barred leaders from Maharashtra from entering the state.
The Belagavi border dispute dates back to 1957, following the reorganization of states along linguistic lines. Maharashtra has laid claim to Belagavi, formerly part of the Bombay Presidency, citing its significant Marathi-speaking population and over 800 Marathi-speaking villages currently within Karnataka's borders.
Karnataka, however, asserts that the demarcation under the States Reorganisation Act and the 1967 Mahajan Commission Report is final and non-negotiable, maintaining its stance on the territorial boundaries.