Will make state's stand on border row clear during CMs meeting, says CM Basavaraj Bommai

Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai said that he would communicate the government's stand on the ongoing border issue in the meeting of Chief Ministers of both Karnataka and Maharashtra convened by Union Home Minister Amit Shah in Delhi.

He was speaking to media persons on his arrival at Mandakalli airport in Mysuru before he rushed to participate in various programmes in Chamarajanagar on Tuesday.

The meeting is likely to take place in New Delhi on Wednesday evening.

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Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai said, "I will give information related to all the developments around the border issue to the Home Secretary."

On the impact of the cyclone Mandous, he said, "There have been some problems due to the cyclone. We are doing a detailed assessment of its impact, especially on the agricultural crops. It is affecting the harvesting of standing ragi crops. We are getting a comprehensive report by the agriculture department on it."

When asked if there is any possibility of discussion on Cabinet expansion or induction of new faces during his visit to Delhi, he said, "Official meeting is related to the border issue. I am going fully prepared."

Reacting to Congress's joint yatra of leaders including D K Shivakumar and Siddaramaiah, he said, "People know what Congress is all about. They say that they will raise issues on water, Mahadayi, Krishna and SC/ST. They think people have less memory. The Congress is responsible for the Mahadayi issue. During Goa elections, former AICC president Sonia Gandhi had announced that she would not let diversion of even a single drop of Mahadayi river water. The Congress did not do anything about Mahadayi during their five-year tenure in the state."

He added that Siddaramaiah on Monday tweeted about giving internal reservation if they come to power in the next Assembly elections. However, he pointed out, that when Siddaramaiah was the Chief Minister, he did not presented a report on it during his five-year tenure. "He did not speak a word at the SC/ST convention which was hosted then. People know about all these. They are trying to cover up all these during their conventions. But they cannot always impress people. They had promised to give internal reservation to SC/ST even before the coalition government came to power, but they didn't discuss it even once during their tenure. People don't believe all that," he said.

On the India-China conflict at the border, he said, "Unlike the situation during previous governments, now the defence force is well equipped and they have able leadership and proper directions. The communication is very strong now. They are well prepared with proper roads, bridges, equipments and others now. So I am confident that they will face them (Chinese army) well and defeat them too."