Karnataka Congress opposes CM Thakrey raising border dispute

A decades-old border dispute between Maharashtra and Karnataka spun off into firestorm of political bickering on Wednesday with claims and counterclaims between the two states. Hitting back at Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray for raising the issue at a public event with a demand for the disputed areas to be carved out into a union territory till differences are resolved, Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister Lakshman Savadi said that Mumbai should be included in his state or at least be devolved into a federally governed province as well.

Earlier in the day Thackeray led a meeting with ministers of the Maharashtra government and accused Karnataka of appropriating the Belagavi district to by changing its name to 'Belgaum' even though the matter is in court. Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister Lakshman Savadi counter Thakrey charges and maintained that the people of our region demand that we have been part of Mumbai-Karnataka (region), so we too have our right on Mumbai adding that the 1967 Mahajan Commission's report - which was welcomed by Karnataka but rejected by Maharashtra - was "final".
Thackeray had on January 17 too had said his government is committed to incorporating into the state the areas of Karnataka where Marathi-speaking people are in majority.His statements were opposed by the Congress in Karnataka which is an ally in Maharashtra. "Maharashtra CM is trying to instigate Kannadigas by releasing a controversial book on the Belagavi border dispute. His frequent frivolous acts to rake up controversies do not befit his position as CM," Congress leader and former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah tweeted.
The dispute between the two states began after the States Reorganisation Act of 1956 made Belgaum and 10 talukas of Bombay State - once part of colonial Bombay Presidency - a part of the then Mysore state. The issue has been pending in the Supreme Court for several years.Maharashtra has long claimed certain areas which are currently part of Karnataka, including Belagavi, Karwar and Nippani, contending that the majority of the population in these areas is Marathi-speaking.