In the simmering border dispute between Maharashtra and Karnataka, the situation has turned worrisome. The Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) has suspended bus services to Karnataka following safety and security concerns of the passengers.

The border issue dates back to 1957, after the reorganisation of states on linguistic lines. Maharashtra laid claim to Belagavi, which was part of the erstwhile Bombay Presidency, as it has a sizable Marathi-speaking population. It also laid claim to 814 Marathi-speaking villages which are currently part of Karnataka.

Karnataka maintains the demarcation done on linguistic lines as per the States Reorganisation Act and the 1967 Mahajan Commission Report as final.

The case is in the Supreme Court.

Here is what has happened so far:

#NCP leader Supriya Sule sought intervention of the Union Home Ministry in the ongoing border dispute between Maharashtra and Karnataka. Raising the issue in the Lok Sabha during zero hour, Sule said people of Maharashtra are getting "beaten up" every day despite the BJP being the ruling party in both the states. "In the last 10 days a conspiracy is being hatched to break Maharashtra. (Home Minister) Amit Shah should intervene in the matter," she said.

BJP MPs from Karnataka objected to Sule's remark, saying the matter is subjudice.

# The MSRTC has suspended bus services to Karnataka following safety and security concerns of the passengers. The Maharashtra government said a call to resume services would be taken after a clearance from the police about the safety and security of the passengers and the buses.

# Activists of the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena faction and Maharashtra Navnirman Sena claimed to have painted at least four buses of Karnataka state transport corporation in the Pune district during separate protests. They also wrote "Jai Maharashtra" on these buses.

# NCP chief Sharad Pawar warned the state's "patience" will take a different turn if attacks on vehicles entering the southern state from Maharashtra are not stopped in 24 hours. "Maharashtra has taken a stand of observing patience, and it is still ready to do that. But even that has a limit. In 24 hours, if the attacks on vehicles are not stopped, then this patience will take a different path, and the responsibility will be completely on the Karnataka chief minister and the Karnataka government," Pawar said.

# Belagavi district administration in Karnataka had issued orders barring the entry of the two Maharashtra ministers and leaders to the city. Prohibitory orders were issued under section 144 of CrPC, barring their entry.

With inputs from PTI

First Published:Dec 7, 2022 12:18 PM IST