Dub Marathi-speaking areas on... ED arrests Omkar Group top brass
‘‘Now it is not just a myth. We have to take back our land from the state of Karnataka,’’ Thackeray avowed.
“We have to learn from past experiences and fight to win. The Karnataka-occupied Marathi-speaking areas will be included in Maharashtra,” he asserted.
The chief minister also targeted the Maharashtra Ekikaran Samiti (MES) for allegedly disintegrating and weakening the Marathi cause for selfish political interests. “Earlier, the MES won half-a-dozen MLAs. The Belgaum mayor used to be a Marathi-speaking person. The Shiv Sena never entered the political fray in Belgaum because it did not want to weaken the MES,” he said.
Thackeray, who heads the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) with the NCP and the Congress, said a time-bound action plan needed to be charted out to win the legal battle and ensure the Marathi-speaking leadership and people in those areas of Karnataka remain united. ‘‘Let's pledge that we will not rest till we win. If the long-pending issue is not resolved during this (MVA) government's tenure, it will never be,’’ he said. He called upon leaders from all parties to forget differences and come together to stop the atrocities on the Marathi people in the border areas. ‘‘In Karnataka, whichever political party's government or chief minister takes charge, they have one thing in common - atrocities against Marathi people and language,’’ he charged. Marathi people should also unite, he said, adding, ‘‘Let us be determined to win’’. NCP chief Sharad Pawar said the Supreme Court was the ‘‘last weapon for the state’’ and Maharashtra should put to use all its legal acumen to win the case. ‘‘We have to fight to win. There is no other option. It is good that Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray is taking a lead in this direction. Maharashtra needs to sink its political differences and show more unity in this case,’’ he said.
Earlier, the group had stated that in the matter raised by the petitioner with regard to a loan from Yes Bank, the loan was availed under banking guidelines as a project loan against sale collaterals and had been utilised for the stated purpose only. The group had been dragged to the court earlier, for allegedly obtaining loans from various banks without the requisite permissions. Having constructed luxur y towers in the city and its suburbs, the group has also been undertaking various SRA projects.