Karnataka won’t tolerate childish quips about separating Belagavi: CM Siddaramaiah

Belagavi, Dec 10 (IANS): The Mahajan Commission Report on Belagavi is final, and repeatedly insisting that the district should be merged with Maharashtra is sheer foolishness, stated Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Tuesday.

Responding to a media question in Belagavi regarding the statement made by Aaditya Thackeray, CM Siddaramaiah said the Karnataka government will not tolerate such childish statements.

Criticising the demand to declare Belagavi a Union Territory, CM Siddaramaiah said, “For us, the Mahajan Commission Report is final. Once the Mahajan Report has been accepted, the matter is settled.”

When journalists asked if the government would take action if Maharashtra Ekikaran Samiti members resorted to violence on this issue, the Chief Minister replied, “Whoever indulges in violence, we will not remain silent.”

Earlier, Aaditya Thackeray had said that Marathi-speaking people in Belagavi were being suppressed.

"Since Sunday, the situation has been deteriorating in the region. Our party workers are being detained,” he stated.

The border town of Belagavi has been a part of Karnataka since boundaries were demarcated along linguistic lines under the States Reorganisation Act, 1956.

However, the inter-state border dispute between Karnataka and Maharashtra erupts every now and then.

Commenting on the Panchamasali Lingayat community’s reservation agitation, CM Siddaramaiah said that although the government invited the community’s leaders for discussions, they did not come.

“In a democracy, everyone has the right to protest, and we do not oppose such protests,” he added.

Speaking about the demise of veteran leader S.M. Krishna who was part of the Congress for 46 years before he quit the grand old party, CM Siddaramaiah praised him as an efficient administrator.

“S.M. Krishna served as a member of the Legislative Assembly, Legislative Council, Lok Sabha, and Rajya Sabha,” he said.

“S.M. Krishna had been suffering from illness for the past six months. His demise is a great loss to the state. I pray to God to give strength to his family and admirers to bear the grief and for his soul to rest in peace. I had visited him in the hospital two months ago while he was undergoing treatment,” he said.

The Chief Minister announced that Wednesday would be a state holiday and there will be a three-day mourning period. He also confirmed his participation in the funeral tomorrow.