A delegation of Belgaum Municipal Corporation led by its Mayor today called upon her counterpart in Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation here and sought support against the Karnataka government which has served a show cause notice to the civic body.
Belgaum Mayor Sarita Patil apprised her counterpart in BMC (Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation), Snehal Ambekar of the situation in Belgaum. Maharashtra has been demanding inclusion of Belgaum and other Marathi-speaking areas into the state.
Patil, accompanied by Deputy Mayor Sachin Shinde and Group Leader in Belgaum Municipal Corporation, Pandharinath Parab told Ambekar that prevalent situation is "not good" in the civic body and demanded BMC's support to "deal with" Karnataka Government which has served a show cause notice to the civic body.
"We today submitted the copy of the notice that has been served on our civic body by Karnataka government. Government of Maharashtra and the people of this state have always supported us. We seek same support this time as well.
"Government of Karnataka has challenged the very spirit of the principles of the constitution by serving us notice, which is a gross violation of the provisions of constitution," Patil told reporters.
Expressing her solidarity with Belgaum Mayor, Ambekar said, "I will raise this issue at various platforms and would do every bit for the sake of Belgaum people."
Parab said they had sought help of Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis as well as Human Rights Commission against the "unfair" attitude of Karnataka government towards local Marathi people.
"Karnataka government's attitude towards Marathi-speaking people there is worse than British government. We want this unwarranted attitude to end.
"The government has slapped baseless allegations of treason on the grounds that she (Patil) joined a rally that was organised to demand separation of Belgaum from Karnataka (on November 1), following which she has been served a show-cause notice and asked to clarify why the civic body should not be dissolved," said Parab.
He said people of Belgaum had observed a black day on
November 1, which is also celebrated as the day of formation of Karnataka state.
"However, Karnataka police behaved unprofessionally. We demand a probe into atrocity by the police and also call for a strict action against state government," he said, adding that the "harassment" of Marathi people must stop immediately.
Shiv Sena had recently sought intervention of Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh to "protect" Marathi populace in border areas of Karnataka, saying that they are subjected to "atrocities".
In its report 50 years ago, the Centre-appointed Mahajan Commission had recommended that these villages remain in Karnataka.
Maharashtra Government has been fighting the case in the Supreme Court for nearly 12 years to get Belgaum and adjoining areas back from Karnataka.
