Maharashtra takes cautionary approach on Belagavi visit

The border dispute issue has escalated after Bommai urged Shinde not to send ministers to Belagavi

Amid the raging Maharashtra-Karnataka boundary dispute, the Eknath Shinde-Devendra Fadnavis government seems to be adopting a cautionary approach and yet to offer clarity on the visit of the two senior ministers to Belagavi even as the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi accused them of going on backfoot after Basavaraj Bommai’s aggressive stand.

Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde is on an official visit to New Delhi and is expected around midnight.

Higher and Technical Education Minister Chandrakant Patil, who hails from Kolhapur and State Excise Minister Shambhuraj Desai, who is from Satara, were expected to visit Belagavi (Belgaum) on Tuesday, during which they are to attend the events vis-a-vis Mahaparinirwan Diwas, the death anniversary of Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar and meet activists of Maharashtra Ekikaran Samiti.

Patil and Desai are the two senior coordinating ministers on the Maharashtra-Karnataka boundary dispute.

However, with Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai urging Shinde not send the minister, the issue has scaled to a new level.

Read | Take appropriate action if Maharashtra ministers visit Belagavi: CM to officials

Meanwhile, Shinde visited New Delhi for official engagements during which he also called on BJP President J P Nadda and discussed various political issues of the state.

Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said that the matter is sub-judice with proceedings pending in the Supreme Court.

“If ministers want to go there, no one can stop them. They have been invited to attend events related to the death anniversary Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar….we want to avoid legal complications, however, the final decision would be taken by the Chief Minister,” he said.

On the other hand, Desai denied reports that the visit has been cancelled. “No…the visit has not been cancelled…the Chief Minister would take a final decision in the matter,” he said.

“Nobody should be prohibited from visiting a place, as we are an independent country. However, the case related to the disputed area is still going on in the Supreme Court and we want to avoid any further complications in the issue. Nobody can stop the ministers from visiting the disputed areas if they decide to do so,” said Fadnavis, a senior BJP leader.

Meanwhile, the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi comprising Sharad Pawar-led NCP, Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena faction and Congress lashed out at the Shinde-Fadnavis government on this issue.

Leader of Opposition in Council Ambadas Danve wanted to know why the Shinde government is backing out. “Two days were given but why is the government worried,” he wanted to know and said that if such is the kind of stand how justice can be meted out to Marathi-speaking people in the border areas.

"It is very surprising to see the Shinde-Fadnavis-led Maharashtra government wilting under the pressure of Bommai. It is a shame that Bommai who is from BJP is allowed to do what he is doing in another BJP-allied state and the centre and BJP are behaving as mute spectators. This strange behaviour from the BJP raises a question, is there something more here than meets the eye,” NCP national spokesperson Clyde Crasto said.