Maharashtra CM, Dy CM tell Shah about Karnataka's 'provocative comments' on border row

Maharashtra CM Eknath Shinde and deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis have spoken to Union home minister Amit Shah on the border row and the violence on vehicles going from Maharashtra to Karnataka.

Fadnavis and Shinde, in their conversation with Shah, expressed concerns over some of the comments from the Karnataka government in the run-up to the violence along the border. On Wednesday, Shinde said: "I have spoken to home minister Amit Shah and I have also spoken to the Karnataka chief minister and told him that people who are going from Maharashtra to Karnataka should not be troubled in any way. Strong action should be taken against whoever has done the vandalism. He (Bommai) agreed that there would be strong action against the culprits and that such incidents would not be repeated."

Shinde added: "I have told him (Bommai) that people from both states should not be inconvenienced and there should be a proper resolution."


Fadnavis said: "I have spoken to home minister Amit Shah and I have told him the complete sequence of events. I have told him that without any reason Maharashtra vehicles have been vandalised and that is not right...While the Karnataka chief minister has assured me (that such incidents would not recur), I have requested him (Shah) to personally look into the issue and speak to the Karnataka CM.'

According to people in the know, Shinde and Fadnavis impressed on Shah that while Maharashtra was keeping things under control, there have been some uncalled for statements and steps taken by the Karnataka government that eventually led to the vandalism. Fadnavis said that the border dispute was in the Supreme Court and there was no reason for the issue to flare up in such a manner, the people said. The Shinde group MPs have sought to meet Shah to discuss the issue. On Thursday, Shah is slated to meet Opposition MPs from NCP, Congress and Sena (Uddhav group) on the issue.

The Shinde-BJP government has been on the defensive on the issue of the border row as Karnataka also has a BJP government. The Maharashtra Opposition has been slamming the government for not being assertive enough against the comments made by Bommai or the violence.