Belagavi is part of Karnataka, will never go to Maharashtra: CM Siddaramaiah

Bengaluru, Nov 1 (PTI) Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Saturday asserted that Belagavi is an integral part of Karnataka and will never be allowed to merge with Maharashtra.

The Chief Minister also said that Mahajan Committee report on the Karnataka-Maharashtra border dispute is final.

“There will be no compromise on the Belagavi issue. The Maharashtra government has approached the Supreme Court on the issue but the Mahajan report is final. We will not let go of Belagavi because it is Kannada land and a part of Karnataka. No one can deny this,” he said after flagging off the grand procession of Goddess Bhuvaneshwari and Annama Devi held at Nrupatunga Mantapa, Mysore Bank Circle.

The border dispute between Karnataka and Maharashtra has persisted for decades, with the neighbouring state claiming Belagavi and its surrounding aread citing their substantial Marathi speaking population.

Karnataka has rejected Maharashtra's claim, citing the Mahajan Committee report.

The state hosts one Vidhana Sabha session at Belagavi based Suvarna Vidhana Soudha, a replica of Vidhana Soudha in Bengaluru.

Siddaramaiah noted that there used to be five Maharashtra Ekikaran Samiti (MES) MLAs elected in the state, but now their number has come down to zero.

“The MES people are also Kannadigas. If anyone among them indulges in rowdyism, we will deal with them firmly," the CM said.

He told the Kannada activists that the government is ready to do whatever is necessary for the development of Kannada schools in border areas.

Hailing the Kannada activists for their struggle to protect the interests of the state, Siddaramaiah assured them that cases registered against them for pro-Kannada agitations would be withdrawn.

The CM called upon people of the state to develop pride in Kannada land, language, and culture.

"We must create an atmosphere of Kannada in our land. For that, no matter in which language someone speaks to you, you must reply in Kannada,” he urged.

Siddaramaiah said all those who have built their life on Kannada soil should respect the Kannada atmosphere.

"Let us take a pledge that we will speak only in Kannada on Kannada soil,” he appealed.

On the Kannada activists' demand for a bilingual policy, the Chief Minister said, “I personally support bilingualism, but if the bilingual policy has to be implemented legally, it has to be discussed in the Cabinet." PTI GMS ROH