Thursday, October 05, 2006

Questions on Belgaum border issue

There was a bandh yesterday in Bangalore, in this context, let me ask some of the genuine doubts which I have. [Please note, I am neither from Kar nor Mah, and all I know abt this dispute is after coming here.]

1. Belgaum has majority of Marathi speakers, and why does Karnataka want to impose compulsory Kannada on them?
2. The people of Belgaum have shown their faith in MES policy [integration with Maharashtra] by electing two MLAs from their party. The corporation of Belgaum has MES majority and the Mayor is from MES. Now, why does the Government of Karnataka not recognize the view of the majority of Belgaum?
3. Kashmir and Telengana Naxalite, in my personal view are different from Belgaum issue, mainly because the MES and Marathis have taken the Democratic path, and from the representation they show[MLAs and Mayor], they have gathered quite a handsome support.
4. Kannada Activists doing thisto mayor of Belgaum is unacceptable and barbaric to the height.
5. Treating the mayor of a city is such a manner is equivalent to treating every resident of the city. Why did the Karnataka Government allow this to happen, right in front of the Vidhana Soudha.
6. What is the necessity of removing the Belgaum flag from corporation office. For me it feels like, sending a message to the Marathi speaking people that, you cannot maintain ur identity in this state.
7. “Either recognize our right to identity and language, by not thrusting kannada on us, or if the GoK thinks that, every body in Karnataka should learn Kannada compulsorily, then let it be, but we would want to opt out of the state, and join ourselves with Maharashtra, after all birds of same feather flock together. Either Let us Live or Let us Leave” - if this is what a person from Belgaum asks, what would be the answer to this.

Ps: Let us not talk abt implementing reports and committee findings at this point, because they might not represent the true picture on ground. After all, Karanataka still does not recognize the Kaveri Tribunal Interim Award [which might be genuine considering situations on ground] Infact, the Supreme Court in 2002, had asked the S.M. Krishna Government to Obey or Leave, for not respecting the award.

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