Marathi-speaking people in Belagavi supressed, says Aaditya; demands UT status

Pune: Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray on Monday alleged that injustice was being meted out to Marathi-speaking people in Belagavi in Karnataka, demanding that the region be declared a Union Territory.

Talking to reporters in Mumbai, Thackeray said while celebrations are underway over the formation of the new government in Maharashtra, the situation was deteriorating in Belagavi in the neighbouring state.

As the winter session of the Karnataka assembly begins on Monday, members of the Maharashtra Ekikaran Samiti are opposing it. The outfit organised a congregation in Belagavi, but the Karnataka government allegedly prohibited the gathering and banned leaders from Maharashtra from entering the state.

“Marathi-speaking people in Belagavi are being suppressed. Since yesterday, the situation has been deteriorating in the region. Our party workers are being detained. The previous ‘unconstitutional’ chief minister had promised that they would give extra funds to the Marathi-speaking people living in the disputed territory. What happened to that assurance?” the MLA asked.

He questioned whether the BJP-led government in the Centre was willing to declare Belgavi as a Union Territory.

“Our demand was and is that Belagavi should be declared a Union Territory,” he added.