Bandh called by Sena, Maharashtra Ekikaran Samiti to protest against Centre's stand on border row evokes little response.
Bandh called by Sena, Maharashtra Ekikaran Samiti to protest against Centre's stand on border row evokes little response.
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The Shiv Sena and the Maharashtra Ekikaran Samiti (MES) called a symbolic bandh in the disputed areas on Thursday.
But no untoward incident was reported, and this fact underscores the mood of the Marathi-speaking people in the region, who say they are tired of a political movement that has brought no results for decades and that now they just want to be left alone.
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| There are 865 villages in Karnataka on which Maharashtra lays claim. The Shiv Sena and the Maharashtra Ekikaran Samiti had called a symbolic bandh in the disputed areas on Thursday. |
Support for the inclusion in Maharashtra of villages which have a Marathi-speaking majority cuts across all major political parties in Maharashtra.
But several attempts by state politicians for more than 50 years to get the disputed areas merged with the state have proved futile.
Marathi-speaking people in Belgaum say they are tired of being part of the political movement now.
"We are frustrated now as the political movement has brought nothing good," said Krishna Shantupadidake, whose mother tongue is Marathi.
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"It is clear now that the merger with Maharashtra is not likely to happen. There is a growing perception among Marathi-speaking people of the region that further struggle is a waste of time."
But political parties and their affiliated outfits that support Maharashtra's claim over the 865 villages seem to be in no mood to relent.
Arvind Nagnuri, leader of the Shiv Sena in Belgaum, claimed people in the region still have faith in the political movement for inclusion of the disputed areas in Maharashtra.
The Shiv Sena's claim notwithstanding, the ground reality seems to be different. People in the region say they are now inclined towards letting things be and earning their daily bread in peace.
They say they no longer want to disturb the harmonious co-existence of Marathi-speaking people and Kannadigas.
"We are all happily living together. Politicians bring the feelings of people to a boil with their provocative speeches," said Vinayak Sadashiv Patil, a Belgaum businessman.
He added that the pro-Maharashtra politicians were losing their hold on urban areas.
"Rural people are vulnerable to politicians' speeches. Politicians can provoke rural people easily and that creates trouble here," said Patil.
Belgaum Deputy Superintendent of Police Dr M Ashwini confirmed that urban Belgaum had remained untouched by any sort of trouble.
Shantupadidake said he was more interested in earning his livelihood peacefully than running after a hollow dream.u00a0
"We do not have any problem living here in Karnataka," said Shantupadidake. "Kannadigas are my customers. We do not want political turmoil here now."
| Decades-old row |
| The border dispute between Maharashtra and Karnataka has its origins in Belgaum district going to the newly formed Mysore state in 1956 with the passage of the States Reorganisation Act. The move came as a surprise because language had been decided as the basis for the formation of states after Independence, and Belgaum had a large Marathi-speaking population. Later, the Mahajan Commission recommended several villages in Belgaum district be given to Maharashtra, but not Belgaum city. Today, decades after the formation of Maharashtra and Karnataka, the two states continue to fight over 865 disputed villages. |
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