K’taka CM Bommai condemns painting of pro-Maha slogans on the state buses
BENGALURU: Karnataka chief minister Basavaraj Bommai on Friday condemned the alleged incidents of painting of Karnataka buses with pro-Maharashtra slogans and appealed to the Eknath Shinde government to take immediate steps to put a stop to this.
Bommai also said such incidents will create a division among the states and hence Maharashtra should act swiftly.
Reports from Pune said a group of activists allegedly from a pro-Marathi outfit painted state-owned buses with slogans such as “Jai Maharashtra’’ in black ink and raised slogans against Bommai.
The alleged incidents come amidst a war of words between leaders of the two states over the inter-state boundary dispute over Belagavi.
“Our India is a union of states. Every state has got its own rights. These states were formed under the State Reorganisation Act. The law is very clear and it is the duty of the respective government to maintain peace, law and order and see that there is peace and tranquility between the states,” Bommai told reporters here. Reacting to the incidents of painting buses, he said “If somebody is doing it (painting vehicles), I condemn it and I urge the Maharashtra government to take immediate action and stop this.””It will create a divide among the States. Therefore, the Maharashtra government should act swiftly, I especially urge the Deputy Chief Minister, the Home Minister of the state (Devendra Fadnavis) to take immediate action,” the Chief Minister said.
He said, “We are law-abiding people and we are within our rights.”Maharashtra filed a case in 2004 in the Supreme Court and Karnataka has been fighting a legal battle, which will continue in future also, Bommai said.“We are confident that justice is with us. We will fight with all our might. We will safeguard our boundaries and our people,” Bommai said.
On whether he would hold talks with the Maharashtra government, Bommai said, “I made it very clear yesterday that our first priority is to fight a legal battle because ultimately when the case is pending before the Supreme Court, ultimately the Supreme Court has to take a call.”According to him, the case filed by Maharashtra is not on the merit of the application (petition) but it is on the maintainability of the case.
“Article three (of the Indian constitution) is clear about the state reorganisation. I don’t want to say anything. Let the Supreme Court take a call on that.”He reiterated an all-party meeting has been convened next week to discuss the boundary dispute issue.