‘Arnab, Kangana get justice, K’taka border issue remains stuck’

THE SENA SAID KARNATAKA GOVT HAS PLEDGED TO REMOVE MARATHI CULTURE AND LANGUAGE FROM BELGAUM REGION WHILE THE ISSUE IS PENDING WITH SC

MUMBAI: Amid the political bickering between the leadership of Maharashtra and Karnataka governments over their border dispute, the Shiv Sena in an editorial in its mouthpiece Saamana on Friday said that the Karnataka government has pledged to remove Marathi culture and language from Belgaum region while the issue remains in the Supreme Court.

The editorial further stated that individuals like Republic TV’S editor-in-chief Arnab Goswami and actor Kangana Ranaut get quick justice, but the courts are unable to see the anguish and the blood spilled by Marathi brothers in Belgaum.

HT tried to contact both Goswami and Ranaut, but they did not respond.

“The border dispute is pending in the Supreme Court. People like Arnab and Kangana get quick justice in the court, but can’t the Supreme Court see the anger and the blood spilled by Marathi brothers? While the case is pending in the Supreme Court, the Karnataka government gave the second capital status to Belgaum and built Vidhan Bhavan there. Is this not contempt of court?” the editorial asked.

The editorial also slammed Karnataka deputy chief minister Laxman Savadi over his demand that Mumbai should be centrally governed. It also cornered the Maharashtra Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders over their silence on the remarks made by Savadi, also a BJP leader.

“Savadi has insulted the 105 martyrs of the united Maharashtra movement (People who had died during the agitations for inclusion of Mumbai in Maharashtra). Savadi is a BJP leader, and therefore, what does the BJP leaders here have to say about his statement? Will they at least condemn his statement?” the editorial said.

The border dispute has been raging for the past three days now. Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thackeray had demanded that the disputed areas should be made union territory till the resolution of the matter. The Maharashtra government on Thursday re-released an old documentary that makes case for inclusion of Belgaum and other border areas in the state.