Mumbai:
The battle over Belgaum has flared up on the Maharashtra-Karnataka border as sporadic violence brought buses plying across the boundary from either side to a grinding halt.
The border dispute over Belgaum has long been an emotive issue for Maharashtra political parties. In fact, it was the Congress which took the issue to court in 2004. But this is a heightened pitch shortly before the CM is to lead an all-party delegation to the PM on the state claim over Belgaum.
Chief Minister Ashok Chavan has demanded that 865 Marathi-speaking villages in Karnataka be made a Union Territory till the Supreme Court resolves the dispute. The largest chunk of these villages lies in Belgaum.
''Karnataka government imposes new decisions every day. Due to those decisions, names of the village have been changed, people have been attacked, and corporation elections have been set aside. Everyday there is something new," said Ashok Chavan, Chief Minister of Maharashtra.
Chavan's stand is shared by the Shiv Sena, also using the Belgaum card to needle its alliance partner, the BJP, which is in power in Karnataka.
"It is through you, the people, I want to ask the BJP to clarify its stand. Its stand should be made clear. It is their government in Karnataka and their Chief Minister, so their CM should be careful," said Uddhav Thackeray, Shiv Sena executive president.
The Maharashtra Congress has been on the defensive after its own government at the Centre submitted an affidavit in the Supreme Court last week saying, Maharashtra had no claim over Belgaum because language was not the only criteria to include an area in a state.
Soon after, the Supreme Court allowed Maharashtra to file an amended petition triggering angry responses from Karnataka.
As both states refuse to let go, the ball is back in the apex court, except as each of its verdict meets with anger on one side on the other, it's going to be a tough justice to deliver.