Border dispute: Situation not yet come to call all party meet, says K'taka Minister

Bengaluru: Karnataka Irrigation Minister Govind Karjol on Wednesday said a situation has not yet arose for an all-party meeting to be convened, to discuss the border dispute with Maharashtra, and asserted that the state government was handling the case legally.

Leader of Opposition in the state assembly Siddaramaiah on Tuesday had expressed reservations about Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai not calling an all party meeting yet, to discuss the dispute, with the issue intensifying.

”BJP is not ready to do politics the way Siddaramaiah wants. We know when to call, we are in government and definitely such a situation has not come, and there is no need for it now,” Karjol said in response to a question regarding Siddaramaiah’s statement.

Speaking to reporters here, he said steps have been taken by the government with regard to the case legally.

”Such a situation (to call an all party meeting) has not yet come, whenever required we have always taken all political parties and people into confidence, and we will continue to do it, but now such a situation has not arisen,” he added Siddaramaiah on Tuesday had said, the CM should have called an all party meeting by now to discuss the issue, but has not called. ”The issue of jurisdiction and maintainability of the case has come before the Supreme Court for hearing.”

When told that all the political parties in Maharashtra are united on the issue, Karjol said, ”We need not become a part of their (Maharashtra’s) drama, whenever they enact it. Yes, Maharashtra is staging a drama and we are not actors in it.”

Responding to a query on Maharashtra Ministerial delegation reportedly still planning to visit the border district of Belagavi in the days ahead, the senior Minister in Bommai cabinet said, every one should keep in mind that we are all part of a federal set up.

”We had sent them (Maharashtra) a subtle message a couple of days ago, we had also sent a letter to the government there through our Chief Secretary and we have told them very strongly that if they come, the situation wont be right. No confusion should be created, we have to under stand that we are in a federal set up, whether it is a Karnataka Minister or Maharashtra Minister or from any other state,” he added.

A Maharashtra ministerial delegation that was supposed to visit Belagavi and hold discussions with a pro-Marathi group active there on Tuesday, had postponed it, while Kannada organisations had staged a protest in the district in a show of strength.