Bengaluru: The Maharashtra government's order to provide insurance cover to people living in villages close to Karnataka borders has kicked up a row. Expressing displeasure over the Maharashtra government's move, Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai has issued a warning to the Maharashtra government.
In the warning, it was stated that if the Maharashtra government ignores Karnataka's request to withdraw its order immediately, then the Karnataka government will also implement similar insurance cover for Kannadigas living on the Maharashtra border.
The Karnataka CM flayed the Maharashtra government's decision in a series of tweets. "If the Maharashtra government continues in the same way, the Karnataka government will also implement a similar insurance for the protection of the Kannadigas on the Maharashtra border," tweeted Bommai.
Although the Karnataka-Maharashtra border dispute has been pending before the Supreme Court, the Maharashtra government has been trying to create confusion among people living in border areas of the two states, Bommai said adding that it is also an attempt to disrupt ties between the two states.
In a meeting chaired by Union Home Minister Amit Shah and attended by Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, and Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, it was decided that no confusion would be created over the border issue. Now the Babu Jagjivan Ram health insurance scheme is being floated and people living in 865 villages in Karnataka are being covered under the scheme. Such a move threatens the federal structure. The Maharashtra government should immediately withdraw its order to maintain the relationship between the two states, Bommai tweeted.
Opposition leader Siddaramaiah also issued warnings to the Maharashtra government, saying, "Despite strong opposition from the Kannadigas, the Maharashtra government's move to provide health insurance to people living in 865 villages within the state's borders is a dominant approach. This cannot be tolerated. If this order is not withdrawn immediately, we will not remain silent."
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Former Karnataka Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy said, "The BJP's double engine government in Maharashtra is repeatedly creating problems for us. The Central government is silent on the issue. Maharashtra government's move may harm the federal structure."
