Bengaluru (Karnataka): Karnataka Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa on Monday slammed Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray's speech on the integration of Marathi-speaking majority areas of Karnataka into Maharashtra, and said that the latter's remarks were contrary to the principles of the Indian Union.
"The statement of Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray's speech on the integration of Marathi language and culture into Maharashtra is obnoxious. This is contrary to the principles of the Indian Union. Mahajan report is final and true," said Yediyurappa.
He further said that it is painful that the Chief Minister of Maharashtra is trying to sabotage an amicable atmosphere.
"Thus regionalism and talk of linguistics are detrimental to the unity of the country. I condemn this. In Karnataka, the Marathas are living with Kannadigas. While the Kannadigas in the border districts of Maharashtra are living with the Marathas," he added.
Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray had on Sunday said his government is committed towards incorporating into the state the areas of Karnataka where Marathi-speaking people are in majority.
Maharashtra claims Belgaum and some other areas, part of the erstwhile Bombay Presidency but currently in Karnataka, on linguistic grounds.
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The dispute between the two states over Belgaum and other border areas is pending before the Supreme Court for many years.
Doesn't suit Thackeray to say this: DK Shivakumar
Meanwhile, Karnataka Congress chief DK Shivakumar also slammed Thackeray and said it did not suit the latter to make such comments while occupying the CM chair. "It is not good to create havoc by making frequent statements in the matter of border disputes. The Mahajan Commission report is final in the matter of border disputes. So it is not necessary to prove again that Belagavi does not belong to Maharashtra," said Shivakumar.
No compromise, no politics in the matter of our state: Siddaramaiah
Opposition leader Siddaramaiah also condemned the statements of Uddhav Thackeray. "We will not compromise and do politics in the matter of our region, linguistics and state. From the past to the future, Belagavi has and will always belong to Karnataka. The fact cannot be changed by Thackeray's statements," he said.
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Thackeray's statement exhibits Chinese expansionist attitude: HD Kumaraswamy
Former Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy said Thackeray's statement exhibited the expansionist character of China. "Based on the Indian union system, states have been divided by particular linguistics, but Thackeray is trying to destroy the amiability of people," he said.
Pro-Kannada organisations protest in Belagavi
Following Thackeray's statement, pro-Kannada organisations staged protests in Belagavi, stressing that the region belongs to Karnataka. The organisations also expressed outrage against the Karnataka government for not strongly reacting to Thackeray's statement.
They also insisted that the state government ban Shiv Sena in Karnataka.
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