Maharashtra bids to acquire 865 border villages in Karnataka

Days after the Karnataka legislature cleared a resolution on the inter-state border dispute saying it would not give an inch of land to Maharashtra, both houses of Maharashtra legislature on Tuesday unanimously passed a resolution to legally pursue inclusion of 865 Marathi-speaking villages and its citizens into the state and make all-out efforts to contest the ongoing case in Supreme Court. Among the villages to be included in Maharashtra are Belagavi (earlier Belgaum), Karwar, Bidar, Balki and Nipani.

The resolution, tabled by CM Shinde in the assembly, spoke about firmly standing behind the Marathi-speaking people of the 865 villages. The CM informed the House the government has roped in noted lawyer Harish Salve to represent Maharashtra in the SC.