Belgaum border dispute
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The Belgaum border dispute is a dispute involving the Indian states of Maharashtra and Karnataka. Belgaum (currently a part of Karnataka)(previously it is a part of Mysore State) is claimed by Maharashtra on linguistic grounds.
[edit] Background
After India became independent in 1947, the Belgaum district became a part of the Bombay State. In 1948, the Belgaum Municipality requested the Indian Dominion, Indian Constituent Assembly and the Boundary Commission to include the Belgaum Municipal District in the proposed "Samyukta" (United) Maharashtra state.[1]
But, in 1956, the Belgaum district was incorporated into the newly formed Mysore state (now Karnataka) with the passage of the States Reorganisation Act, which reorganised India's states along linguistic and administrative lines, despite having a large Marathi-speaking population; [2] about three-fourths of the total population.[3]
[edit] Four member Committee
Following a memorandum from the Maharashtra government on 23 June 1957, the Government of India constituted Mahajan Committee on June 5, 1960 to look into the case. The four member Committee consisted of two representatives from the Maharashtra Government, and two from the Mysore state Government. The Committee gave a report which went against Maharashtra.[4]
The Committee disagreed on all points except that of "geographical proximity". Maharashtra wanted to apply following points and agreed to hand over Kannada majority villages to Mysore:
- Villages as a unit
- Geographical proximity/integrity
- Marathi or Kannada speakers "relative majority"; in case of villages with no population, it should be merged with that state where the owners of that land reside
- People's wish
Mysore Government, on the other hand, wanted status quo to be maintained.
[edit] Mahajan Commission
Maharashtra leader Senapati Bapat resorted on hunger strike demanding the government to form a commission which would address border dispute.At Maharashtra's insistence, the Government of India constituted the Mahajan Commission on October 25, 1966. V.P. Naik, Maharashtra's Chief Minister at that time, announced in public on November 9, 1967 that Maharashtra will adhere to Mahajan Commission's report, regardless of the outcome.[5] The commission was headed by the third Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of India, Meher Chand Mahajan. The commission, upon review of Maharashtra's claims, recommended the exchange of several villages in Belgaum district between the two states, but rejected Maharashtra's claim on Belgaum city.[6]
The Mahajan commission received 2240 memoranda and interviewed 7572 people and submitted its report. Maharashtra had asked for 814 villages besides Belgaum. It was given 262 villages including Nippani, Khanapur and Nandgad. Mysore State had claimed 516 villages, of which Maharashtra admitted that 260 were Kannada-speaking ones. It was awarded 247 villages including claim to Solapur.[7]
[edit] Excerpts of the Mahajan Report
Excerpts from the Mahajan committee report regarding rejection of Maharashtra's claim over Belgaum:[7]
| “ | Maharashtra’s claim for Belgaum is of recent origin. Though tabled in Parliament, Maharashtra MPs, especially from the treasury benches, did not vote against the amendment of Belgaum being part of their state. Belgaum is a cosmopolitan city. In 1920, when the AICC session was held in Belgaum, not a single leader from Maharashtra including N C Kelkar demanded that it be part of that state. Geographically, Kannada areas surround the city of Belgaum on three sides and by a smattering of villages belonging to Maharashtra on the fourth. Reorganisation will cause extreme hardship. Status quo should be maintained. From the records of rights of Belgaum city, it is seen that a majority of lands belong to Kannadigas. All the original records in the offices of the amlatdar and collector are in Kannada. On the appreciation of the whole material and assessing it objectively, I have reached the conclusion that I cannot recommend the inclusion of Belgaum city in the state of Maharashtra. | ” |
The Maharashtra and Kerala government refuted the recommendations of the report and demanded another review of the issue. Maharashtra government termed the findings of the reports as biased and self-contradictory because the "formula" applied for Kasaragode was not applied for Belgaum. Maharashtra Government insisted that the report is against the "wish of people" of Belgaum. Kerala, on the other hand, refused to hand over Kasaragode to Karnataka. The Karnataka government, continued to press for the implementation of the report or maintaining status quo.
[edit] Maharashtra's refutations of the report
Maharashtra insisted on 1951 census, as the dispute had arisen due to States Reorganisation Act of 1956. According to 1951 census the percentages of Marathi-speakers (with Kannada-speakers in brackets) were as follows:
- Belgaum city: 51.2% (28.8%)
- Shahapur: 67.0% (23.2%)
- Belgaum cantonment: 43.6% (10.6%)
- Belgaum suburbs: 30.9% (21.8%)
The Mahajan commission, however, used 1961 census. According to maps of 1961 census, Belgaum was surrounded by Marathi speaking areas on all sides. Mahajan commission said that its decisions on border dispute is not related with number of Marathi schools and students in Belgaum.
In case of Kasaragode, the Mahajan commission had considered the significance of Kannada schools and students in Kasaragode, Kerala as opposed to Malayalam schools. It had also considered the win of a Kannada canditate of Kasaragode as a reason for merger with Karnataka. However, in case of Belgaum, it didn't take into account, the number of Marathi-medium schools and their students, or the erstwhile winning streak of pro-Maharashtra Maharashtra Ekikaran Samiti (MES) in elections.
Maharashtra countered the Mahajan commission's claim of Belgaum having economic relations with Kannada-speaking areas, citing the report presented by Belgaum Municipal Corporation. The report claimed that 87% of octroi collected by corporation was on goods coming from Maharashtra.
Maharashtra insisted that Mahajan Commission is not the final verdict on this dispute and ex-Prime minister Rajiv Gandhi himself had asserted about it.[8] The Maharashtra Government rejected the Mahajan Commission's report claiming that it was biased, illogical and against people's wish.
[edit] Emergence of Maharashtra Ekikaran Samiti
Maharashtra has a long-standing dispute with Karnataka on the status of Belgaum district in north-west Karnataka. Belgaum was merged into Karnataka, despite having a large Marathi-speaking population. The Maharashtra Ekikaran Samiti (MES) came into being in 1948 and has been fighting the issue at every possible level. Along with the Belgaum Municipal Corporation, the MES has always had significant political influence over the district. Its numbers in the state Assembly in Bangalore have dropped to zero from nine.[2]. When leaders of the Maharashtra Ekikaran Samiti, which controlled the council, summon participation for protests at Belgaum, Marathi youth enthusiastically line up.[9]
[edit] Belgaum and Marathi people
Yallur with majority of Marathi speakers has all its signoboards in Marathi and not Marathi and Kannada like in Belgaum city.
Belgaum Deputy Commissioner Shalini Rajneesh says the boards are from 40 years and is against the removal since situation is tense. People from border region have grown up refusing to give in the imposition of Kannada and address their letters in Marathi, go to Marathi medium schools (which outnumber Kannada schools) and go in Maharashtra for jobs.
The people say they will never learn Kannada and destroy Marathi language though they are forced to. There is an allegation that the Karnataka government has deliberately and steadily increased the population of native Kannada speakers in Belgaum to alter the original reality of it being a predominantly Marathi-speaking area. [9][10]
[edit] 1980s and 1990s
The MES emerged as the dominant party in the Belgaum City Council (BCC) elections in 1980s and 1990s while it has been continuously winning all elections since the emergence of the problem. MES claims that nearly 43% of the Belgaum's population is Marathi-speaking, while the Kannada groups claim that this figure has come down to around 35%, and the Kannada-speakers make up 32% of the population.[1]
The first BCC)elections were held in December 1983. The MES-dominated BCC made demands for transfer of Belgaum to Maharashtra in 1990, 1996 and 2001. More than 250 MES-dominated gram and taluk panchayats, and some other municipalities (such as neighbouring Khanapur) passed similar resolutions[1]. In 1986, a seema ladai ("border agitation") led by pro-Maharashtra leaders such as Sharad Pawar and S M Joshi led to large-scale arson and nine deaths in Belgaum.
During H.D. Deve Gowda's tenure as Chief Minister of Karnataka (1994-96), a pro-Karnataka organization called Kannada Cheluvarigara Sangha submitted a memorandum to the Karnataka Government, asking it to set up of large industries so that 20,000 to 30,000 Kannadigas would come to Belgaum and settle down.[1]
The pro-Marathi groups protested against the Government notices and records not being translated in Marathi. The Officials Language Act, 1963 and 1981, states that "areas where the linguistic minorities constitute 15 per cent or more of the local population arrangements have to be made to translate government circulars, orders, extracts and land records into the minority language". In a letter (DO No RB Kannada CR 09/2000-01), Belgaum's Deputy Commissioner, Shalini Rajneesh reasoned that while suitable instructions had been given to the local authorities for the translation of documents into Marathi, it did not happened because the staff was "overloaded with the basic work to be carried out in the official language, that is, Kannada".[1]
[edit] BCC's 2005 resolution
On October 27, 2005, the MES-controlled BCC, amidst strong opposition by the Indian National Congress, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and few independents, passed a resolution requesting the Karnataka State government and the Supreme Court of India to merge disputed border areas in the districts of Belgaum (including Khanapur, Nipani and Belgaum city), Uttara Kannada (including Karwar and Haliyal) and Bidar (including Bhalki, Aurad and Basavakalyan) with Maharashtra. However, protesting against the resolution the entire opposition parties including Congress, BJP and a few independents boycotted the meeting. The meeting also witnessed heavy verbal clashes between ruling party and the opposition. Assistant Executive Officer, N.D. Achanur advised MES members not to pass a resolution which was against the interest of the state. When MES members did not listen to his advice, the officer walked out of the office. The officials of various departments present to provide details of their departments also walked out.[11]
Some members of a pro-Karnataka group called Kannada Rakshana Vedike manhandled the BCC mayor Vijay More, former mayor Shivaji Sunthakar and former legislator B I Patil, when the three were standing outside the Karnataka Legislators' Home in Bangalore. The attackers tore Vijay More's shirt and daubed him with black paint.
On November 10, the Mayor was served with a showcause notice by the Karnataka Government seeking why the resolution should not be cancelled under Section 98 and 99 of the KMC Act. On November 17, the government cancelled the resolution, without waiting for the Mayor's reply. On November 17, it served another notice that sought an explanation from the Mayor as to why the BCC should not be dissolved under Section 99 of the KMC Act.
On November 19, T N Chaturvedi, the Governor of Karnataka, criticized BCC during a public function. A group of Kannada organizations set November 22 as the deadline for dissolving BCC and threatened to call a State-wide bandh on November 24 if this was not done. On November 21, 2005, the Karnataka government dissolved the Council, under pressure from Kannada chauvinists, citing violation of Section 18 of the KMC Act.[1]
The MES secretary, Maloji Astekar, insisted that the BCC resolution was in accordance with the provisions of the KMC Act, 1976, and the Fundamental Rights enshrined under Article 19(1) of the Constitution of India. He accused the Karnataka Government of "step-motherly treatment". The legal team of MES pointed out that both the cancellation of the resolution and the dissolution of the Council were done without giving 15 days' time as was stipulated in the notice to enable the Mayor to submit his explanations. MES called a bandh in protest. A delegation of MES leaders visited Mumbai and met Maharashtra leaders, including Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh. Deshmukh wrote letters to Karnataka Chief Minister N. Dharam Singh and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh expressing displeasure over the action taken against the BCC.[1]
The former mayor of Belgaum, Vijay More, a Dalit, broke down in front of the media in Mumbai on while narrating the atrocities heaped on him by 30 Kannada fanatics.The incident which had happened right in the front of Vidhana Soudha in Bangalore when Kannada activists blackened his face and mercilessly beat him up resulting in a hand fracture. The attackers were angry with a resolution moved by More demanding the inclusion of Belgaum in Maharashtra. When he returned to Belgaum and narrated the incident to fellow corporators, one of them Satish Chavan suffered a massive heart attack and died. In the press conference in Mumbai he broke into tears and said "All of us are entitled to our opinions. But physical attacks are no way of settling differences", he stated.
Vasant Patil, former MLA from Belgaum, said for the past several decades the Marathi-speaking population of Belgaum (population 5 lakh) have been putting up with a host of atrocities heaped on them by successive governments of Karnataka. "But we are determined to get justice", he added.[12]
[edit] MES's legal challenge to the dissolution
After the Maharashtra Ekikaran Samiti (MES)-headed Belgaum City Corporation (BCC) was dissolved, the MES said that it was going to challenge the dissolution in the Karnataka High Court, protesting that the move discriminates against Marathi-speaking people. The MES had 49 corporators in the 58-strong civic body. The BCC was dissolved on several grounds, including passing a resolution seeking merger of Marathi-speaking areas in the border district with Maharashtra. Anticipating the MES move, the Karnataka Government filed a caveat in the High Court, requesting it not to pass any order without hearing its counsel. The MES said that the government was hasty in taking such a decision when the boundary case was still pending in the Supreme Court. MES's working president Deepak Dalvi alleged that they "were being treated like slaves and hence will go to the High Court for justice" and that the state government's action was "an assault on democracy". "A civic body elected by the people of Belgaum has been dissolved in an undemocratic manner. The unilateral decision has once again exposed the government's step-motherly treatment of Marathi-speaking people of Belgaum district", he added.
No other developments about MES's litigation have been reported since then.[13]
[edit] MES changes stance
Later, fearing the dissolution of Belgaum taluk Panchayat, MES, the ruling party which had passed the resolution demanding the merger of Belgaum and other Marathi speaking areas of Karnataka into Maharashtra, changed it's stance and told the government that it had 'just discussed the issue and not passed the resolution'. All the 22 members who were issued showcause notices gave the same answer to the government. The members also appealed government not to take any action including termination of the elected body.[14]
[edit] Thackeray warns Kannadigas
Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray warned that Kannadigas in Maharashtra will be attacked if even a single Marathi-speaking person in Belgaum is targeted. Thackeray's threat was splashed in an eight-column bold headline in Sena mouthpiece Saamna. Thackeray issued the threat soon after a delegation of Maharashtra Ekikaran Samiti, which is spearheading the campaign for the merger of Belgaum and other Marathi-majority areas of Karnataka with Maharashtra, called on him at his house.
The delegation included former Belgaum mayor Vijay More, who was attacked and whose face was blackened by Kannada fanatics in Vidhan Soudha, Bangalore, recently for moving a resolution in the Belgaum civic body demanding the city's merger with Maharashtra.More gave a detailed account of the incident to Thackeray and other members of the delegation, including Vasant Patil, Deepak Dalvi and Manohar Kinikar, and outlined the "atrocities which are being heaped on Marathi-speaking persons by the Karnataka government". Earlier, More had broken down at a press conference here while recounting the atrocities and pictures of the sobbing ex-mayor were carried prominently in all newspapers.[15]
[edit] Maharashtra's petition in the Supreme Court
In December 2005, attempts were also made by Congress led government at the Centre to rekindle discussions on the boundary dispute with the Chief Ministers of Maharashtra and Karnataka and the Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.[16] But even this effort proved futile as Karnataka continued to press for the implementation of the report and Maharashtra continued to stake its claim on Belgaum city and few other parts of Karnataka.
Finally, on March 15, 2006, the Maharashtra government filed a petition in the Supreme Court. Maharashtra staked a claim over Belgaum city citing, in its opinion "the feeling of insecurity among the Marathi speaking people living in Karnataka, in the recent days".[6] Belgaum district along with Belgaum city continues to be a part of Karnataka state while Maharashtra awaits the Supreme Court's verdict.
[edit] 2006 developments
[edit] Maharashtra demands to bring the border region under centre's rule
Maharashtra has asked to bring 865 disputed villages including Belgaum under centre's rule until Supreme court's final verdict. N.D Patil, head of legal-committee appointed by Maharashtra government said that Karnataka is intensifying the problem. He added that Marathi people of border region are not able to live with honour and dignity under Karnataka's rule pointing out to the 'unconstitutional' dissolution of Belgaum municipal council and manhandling of Belgaum mayor by Kannada activists at Bangalore.[17]
[edit] Karnataka Government's Assembly session
On September 25, 2006, admist vociferous protests by MES, the Karnataka state government convened a five-day Assembly session in Belgaum, for the first time outside its capital, Bangalore, to assert its hold over the border city.[18]
The Karnataka Government declared that Belgaum will be made Karnataka's second state capital but later Karnataka home-minister denied it.[19] The Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy declared that the joint legislative session will be held every year in Belgaum, and a mini Vidhana Soudha (state secretariat) will be built in the city.[20]
The Houses unanimously adopted a resolution, endorsing the Mahajan Commission report which declared Belgaum a part of Karnataka. This is the fifth time that Karnataka has passed such a resolution, the first being in 1967 when S Nijalingappa was the CM.[21]
Congress, the opposition party in the Karnataka State dubbed the Belgaum session "a gimmick and a waste of funds". Ironically, the decision to hold the legislative session at Belgaum was taken by the previous Dharam Singh government, when Congress was in power.[22]
[edit] MES Mahamelava
On the same day of the Assembly session, the MES organized a mahamelava ("The Great Meet-up"), which received a huge response. The mahamelava was attended by the Maharashtra deputy Chief Minister, R. R. Patil and many leaders from Shiv Sena, NCP and MES. Speaking to a gathering of about 50,000 people, R.R. Patil stated that if Belgaum and other Marathi-speaking areas were not merged with Maharashtra there would be no alternative but to take to the streets.[10] R R Patil said that "public opinion cannot be changed by using police force. Never in world history has anyone been able to change public opinion through use of force". The convention was intended to send a strong message "to all concerned" that the 10 crore people of Maharashtra were with the Marathi-speaking populace of the border areas in their "struggle".The leaders ridiculed the Karnataka Government's assembly session and vowed to merge Belgaum and adjoining areas to Maharashtra.[23]
The Karnataka Government condemned R R Patil's address. It announced that Belgaum (Belgaon in Marathi) will be renamed to Belagavi.
[edit] Karnataka bandh
Karnataka Border Agitation Committee, an umbrella body of pro-Kannada outfits, called a statewide bandh in Karnataka in October 2006. The bandh was called to press for the implementation of Mahajan Commission report and to protest what the organisers called "step-motherly" treatment of the state by the Centre. The Karnataka Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy's appeal to call of the bandh was turned down by the organizers. BJP and JD(S), the ruling coalition partners in Karnataka extended their support to the bandh. The bandh affected the normal life in Bangalore in other parts of Karnataka.[24]
The bandh was total in most parts of Karnataka except coastal districts and Tumkur where it didn't evoke expected response. In Bangalore, the bandh was total and incident free.[25] Showing solidarity with pro-Kannada organizations, Information technology and BPO industries in Bangalore closed down their facilities in support of Karnataka bandh. The bandh received support from nearly 800 other organizations. The red and yellow flags of pro-Kannada organizations was seen fluttering atop many offices. The other reasons for declaring holiday by these organizations were non availability of public transport and disruption of traffic by activists supporting the bandh.[26] During the bandh, Kannada Rakshana Vedike members allegedly tore Marathi signboards and saffron flags and forced the residents of Belgaum to stop the business. Maharashtra Ekikaran Samiti answered the Vedike members in similar way and alleged that the Karnataka bandh was backed by Karnataka Police. Karnataka Police later arrested many Marathi residents which was criticised by Marathi speakers who expressed displeasure as police didn't take action against Kannada chauvinists. Maharashtra home-minister R.R.Patil warned that torture against Marathi speakers will result into similar response by them.[27][28]
[edit] Yuvamelava
Maharashtra Ekikaran Samiti organised Yuvamelvala (Youth convention) at Khanapur on 26 October 2006. It was well-received and attended by Maharashtra's leader of opposition,Ramdas Kadam and state-minister,Hassan Mushrif. Marathi people in border region once again resoluted to merge with Maharashtra. Kadam warned Karnataka that atrocities against Maharashtrians will be result in similar response against Kannadigas in Maharashtra. Speakers at convention said imposition of Kannada and troubling Marathi people of border region won't suppress the Belgaum struggle. MES leaders said the success of mahamelava forced Karnataka to cancel its decision of making Belgaum the 2nd capital .[8]The situation was tense in Khanapura for the whole day because of the violence which erupted when MES activists tried to remove Kannada boards from shops. The posters and boards, Marathi youth were carrying in the name of Melava showed Kannadigas in a shabby manner.[29] Violence was sparked when attendants clashed with police during the event. Police had to resort for lati charge and shells to disperse the mob when youths pelted stones at police. More than 50 people were injured and about 25 vehicles were damaged.[30]Police allegedly went from house to house to search and book miscreants. They were interrogating everyone with saffron clotes and flags on streets.[31] MES activists tried to set the bus on fire on two occasions. They allegedly stoned at people and shops as they moved along.[32] Situation was also tense near Macche and Ganebail near Belgaum as some pro-Maharashtrians hurled stones at the vehicled coming from Khanapur.[33]. Police had beat up attendants of MES Yuvamelava and arrested MES leaders and Marathi speakers to ensure peaceful 'Rajyotsava day' which MES plans to celebrate as Black day.[34]
The police department framed charges against Ramdas Kadam, opposition leader of Maharashtra assembly and several other Marathi leaders for making instigative speeches against Karnataka and Kannadigas at the Yuva Melava. The police booked cases against Ramdas Kadam under section 153, 153(A), Indian Penal Code(IPC), which would put Kadam in jail for 3 years if proved. Similar charges were framed against Nitin B Patil from Satara. According to the police, in their speeches, both had said that "blood would flow" if the Bhagava flag, hoisted on the Belgaum City Corporation building, came down and that the "eyes of those who had viewed the Bhagava flag negatively or with a bad intention, should be removed". As many as 85 people responsible for violence including MES working president Deepak Dalvi, were sent to 14 day judicial custody.[35]
[edit] Hearing of the Supreme Court
Supreme court will begin its hearing on Maharashtra's petition on 17 January 2007,which is coincidentally celebrated as 'hutatma din' in Belgaum.
[edit] References
- Belgaon, Karwar, Nipanicha Simaprashna kai aahe? (What is border dispute of Belgaum, Karwar and Nipani?) Special edition, Belgaum Tarun Bharat
[edit] External links
- A tale of 2 languages, 2 states
- District’s always been bone of contention
- Patil sends message to govt on border issue
- MES in Yallur roots for return to Maratha soil
- Records lay bare Maharashtra's demand for Belgaum's transfer
- Belgaum merger: flogging a dead horse
- Centre bats for State on boundary
- Sena criticises central affidavit
- Center does a flip flop on boundary issue
