On December 6, amid the ongoing border conflict between Maharashtra and Karnataka, six trucks transporting goods from Maharashtra were attacked by Kannada Rakshana Vedike activists when they entered Karnataka through the Belgavi district. Over 400 activists threw stones and protested against the vehicles near Hirebagewadi, Belgavi.
Karnataka police arrested Kannada activists which included the president of Karnataka Rakshana Vedike Narayan Gowda. This happened after the Karnataka government’s orders to restrict the Maharashtra ministry delegation from entering the state.
They chanted anti-Maharashtra slogans and climbed over the trucks. They peeled off the licence plates of the trucks and painted them black.
These protesters clambered onto Police vehicles and waved Kannada flags. The police had restricted the activists from entering Belgavi city to maintain law and order. The activists have been restricted entry into Belgavi by police. Over 400 Kannada activists with hundreds of vehicles staged protests.
Narayan Gowda said, “This is not a one-day agitation. The government is using the police force to nip our struggle. We will teach a lesson to the government. We will discuss laying siege to the Suvarna Vidhana Soudha when the winter session will be held.”
Maharashtra Dy CM dials HM Amit Shah and Karnataka Chief Minister Bommai
Dy CM Fadnavis had spoken to Home Minister Amit Shah regarding Maharashtra and Karnataka border conflict.
On December 6, Dy CM Fadnavis expressed his anguish to Karnataka Chief Minister Bommai. Fadnavis said, “Bommai has assured strict action against the culprits and that vehicles coming from Maharashtra will be protected. He assured me that immediate action would be taken and that the state would never support such activists amid the border dispute.”
Karnataka-Maharashtra border conflict since 1957
The issue began in 1957 after the states were reorganised based on linguistic lines. Maharashtra has maintained its stand that 814 Marathi-speaking villages and the villages along the boundary including Carvar, Nippani, and Belgavi (previously known as Belgaum) should be amalgamated while Karnataka on the other side claims over 260 Kannada-speaking villages along the boundary of Maharashtra.
Reportedly, this incident escalated after CM Bommai said that the Karnataka government would look into the consideration of the resolution passed by some villages in the Jat Taluka, Sangli, Maharashtra to merge with Karnataka. To which Dy CM Fadnavis said no village in Maharashtra will be given up to Karnataka.
Shiv Sena workers (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackrey) from Maharashtra destroyed a few Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation buses that were parked in the Swargate Bus terminal, Pune.
Security has been strengthened on the borders of Maharashtra and Karnataka. Over 1000 police officials have been deployed at 21 checkpoints and villages at the border.
