Thackeray urges PM to clarify Karnataka CM’s statements on boundary issue

Jalna (Maharashtra), Dec. 10 (IANS): Shiv Sena-UBT President Uddhav Thackeray on Saturday called upon Prime Minister Narendra Modi to speak up on the Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai’s statements vis-a-vis the border row with Maharashtra.

Targeting the PM on the eve of his visit for various functions on Sunday, he said Modi should make his stance clear on Bommai’s claims over more villages in Solapur and Sangli which are made out of arrogance.

“The entire state is awaiting your views on Karnataka’s attitude… What is your stand and what will you give to us. The Shiv Sena’s stand is that Belgaum, Karwar and Nipani must be united with Maharashtra,” Thackeray declared, giving the inaugural address at the 42nd Marathwada Sahitya Sammelan meeting in Jalna.

He demanded that first the PM should clarify on these points and then inaugurate the Mumbai-Nagpur Super Communication Expressway, which has been named after the late Shiv Sena founder-patriarch Balasaheb Thackeray, who had gone to jail for three months for the inter-state boundary dispute.

Taking potshots, he said that the PM would first try to shield the Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari for his recent statements on Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, then raise the slogan of “Shivaji Maharajki Ja”‘.

“Then, he will taunt and recall how the expressway has been named in memory of Hinduhriday Samrat Balasaheb Thackeray. But I request him that as the guardian of the nation, he must avoid all this and discuss the Maharashtra-Karnataka border issues,” Thackeray said.

Urging even the ruling Balasahebanchi Shiv Sena to make its stand clear, Thackeray cautioned that he would not tolerate anybody coming and ridiculing the state in any manner.

Responding to a query later on Saturday, Chief Minister Eknath Shinde reiterated that the legal issues on the boundary row will be resolved and “not a single village from Maharashtra will go to Karnataka”. The 2-day Marathwada Literary Conference got underway with the traditional procession on the opening day, the inaugural by Thackeray, a literature books exhibition, discussions and speeches on various intellectual topics, with more events lined up for Sunday.