Karnataka-Maharashtra Border Issue: The border dispute between Karnataka and Maharashtra has started once again. The Congress has attacked the BJP government in Karnataka for launching its health insurance scheme in 865 border villages by the Maharashtra government. To which now Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai has replied. Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai said on Wednesday (March 15) that he would talk to the Maharashtra government on the matter.
The Eknath Shinde government of Maharashtra has recently announced an additional Rs 54 crore to implement the ‘Mahatma Jyotiba Phule Jan Arogya Yojana’ in the border villages of Karnataka. The Maharashtra government claims these villages as its own.
Congress demands Bommai’s resignation
The Chief Minister further said, "I will look into their fund release and take measures to stop it. I don’t need to learn from DK Shivakumar." The Congress demanded the resignation of Chief Minister Bommai on this issue. The Congress accused the chief minister of failing miserably to protect the interests of the state and Kannadigas.
Demand for dismissal of Shinde government
State Congress President DK Shivakumar demanded immediate intervention from the Central Government on this and the dismissal of the Shinde government of Maharashtra. Congress said, "This is not a good thing in a federal system, so I demand that the central government intervene immediately." Shivakumar said, "They are doing this kind of mischief time and again, so I demand that the central government should Eknath Shinde dismiss the government." Speaking to reporters in Hubli, Siddaramaiah said, "Maharashtra’s move is a threat to India’s federal structure."
The border dispute has been going on for decades
Let us tell you that the border dispute has been going on between Karnataka and Maharashtra for decades. This dispute started in 1956 with the passing of the State Reorganization Act by the Parliament. At that time, Karnataka was considered as a part of Mysore State and Maharashtra as part of Bombay Presidency.
Since its formation in 1960, Maharashtra has been at loggerheads with Karnataka over Belgaum (Belagavi) district and 80 per cent Marathi-speaking villages. Despite being pending in the Supreme Court, the political leadership of both the states keep using this issue for their own politics as well.