Centre cannot remain mute spectator: Sharad Pawar on Maha-K'taka border row

Amid the simmering border dispute between Maharashtra and Karnataka Nationalist Congress Party president Sharad Pawar on Thursday said the central government cannot remain a mute spectatorIf power is misused to destroy the idea of a language medium and movement there is bound to be a reaction But the Centre has turned a blind eye to it Pawar said addressing a meeting of the NCPThe MaharashtraKarnataka boundary dispute is not between the two states but for the rights and justice of the Marathi speaking people in the border areas of the neighbouring state the former Union minister saidOn Wednesday the issue of the border dispute between Maharashtra and Karnataka was raised in the Lok Sabha with NCP leader and Pawars daughter Supriya Sule seeking the intervention of the Union home ministry in the matterReferring to it Pawar said Yesterday the Lok Sabha Speaker told Supriya Sule that the issue is between two states and not an issue to be raised in Parliament If Parliament will not look into the dispute who will The central government cannot be a mute spectatorAlso Read MaharashtraKarnataka border row NCPBJP leaders clash in Lok Sabha over violent incidentsHe said the Karnataka government has always taken a different stand on how the percentage of Kannada population can be increase in Belagavi in the southern state which is located adjoining the Maharashtra borderThey Karnataka government brought government offices to Belagavi The winter session of the Karnataka legislature is also held in Belagavi to show Maharashtra has no right over the city Pawar saidKannada is compulsory in schools there and children are not allowed to study Marathi he said adding that there are schools of all mediums in Maharashtra he saidIf power is misused to destroy the idea of language medium and movement there is bound to be a reaction Unfortunately the Centre has turned a blind eye said the NCP chiefRaising the issue during Zero Hour in the Lok Sabha on Wednesday Sule said people of Maharashtra are getting beaten up every day despite the BJP being the ruling party in both the statesThe border issue dates back to 1957 after the reorganisation of states on linguistic linesMaharashtra laid claim to Belagavi which was part of the erstwhile Bombay Presidency as it has a sizeable Marathispeaking populationIt also laid claim to 814 Marathispeaking villages which are currently part of the southern stateKarnataka however considers the demarcation done on linguistic lines according to the States Reorganisation Act and the 1967 Mahajan Commission Report as finalThis story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed agencies Midday accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability trustworthiness reliability and data of the text Midday managementmiddaycom reserves the sole right to alter delete or remove without notice the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever