AMN / WEB DESK
Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai today called for harmony and asked the Chief Minister of Maharashtra not to intensify row among the two states. The Chief Minister was replying to the media persons in Bengaluru on the upcoming hearing in the Supreme Court on Wednesday on the border row between Maharashtra and Karnataka.
Mr. Bommai said that both the states must treat people equally irrespective of the language they speak. He said that the interests of Kannadigas settled in large numbers in Maharashtra are taken care of by the Karnataka Government. The Border Development Authority will release special grants for the development of Kannada schools in Maharashtra. Those who fought for the unification of Karnataka state and now settled in Maharashtra and Goa will be given a monthly pension.
The Chief Minister informed that all the Gram Panchayats in Jath Taluka in Maharashtra facing severe drinking water crisis have adopted a unanimous resolution to merge with Karnataka and the state government is seriously considering it. The Chief Minister had yesterday met a senior team of advocates composed of Mukul Rohtagi, Shyam Diwan, Uday Holla from the state and Maruti Jirle from Belagavi to discuss the line of argument in favour of the state in the Supreme Court on the matter. Mr. Bommai had said that the state will argue that the apex court must not consider the application filed by Maharashtra state claiming some parts of Karnataka based on Marathi speaking population here. The Chief Minister had said that there are no examples of reviewing the Reorganisation of States Act formed as per Column 3 of the Constitution.