Maharashtra CM Uddhav Thackeray lashes out at Karnataka over renaming of Belgaum

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Mumbai: Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray on Wednesday (January 27) accused the Karnataka government of deliberately changing the name of the disputed Belagavi district to `Belgaum` while the matter is in court, and threatened to make it a part of Maharashtra.

"Despite the matter being in court, the Karnataka government deliberately changed the name of the disputed region to Belgaum. They made Belgaum the second capital where they also held an assembly session. Here, we think about the law but Karnataka does not. We will bring that part in Maharashtra for sure if we all come together," said Thackeray today, after a meeting with the High Power Committee constituted for the border dispute with Karnataka.

He further said that looking at the atrocities of Marathi-speaking people in disputed border areas, his government will request the Supreme Court to declare the disputed part as a union territory, as long as the matter is in court.

"This matter is in the Supreme Court and this is our last option. When we have one option left then we have to prepare for it very well, and we have to win it. If this is not done now, then I don`t think it will happen anytime," said Maharashtra Deputy CM Ajit Pawar, while speaking on the matter after today`s meeting.

This comes in the backdrop of Karnataka and Maharashtra have been at loggerheads for decades over areas along their border in districts like Belagavi, Karwar and Nipani.

The issue of the disputed border area has been pending in the Supreme Court for several years. Belagavi, Karwar and Nipani are a part of Karnataka and have Marathi-speaking people. Right from the beginning, Maharashtra has asserted its claim over these districts while the Karnataka government has opposed the assertion.