New Delhi: The 60-year-old Belgaum border dispute involving Karnataka and Maharashtra has flared up once again putting towns and villages across the two states on tenterhooks for the past one week.
It all began with Karnataka Chief Minister BS Yeddyurappa's visit to Mumbai and a provocative article in Shiv Sena mouthpiece Saamna the following day.
Sena supporters stoned and burnt Karnataka State Road Transport (KSRTC) buses in Latur and west Maharashtra while in Pune, the Karnataka Bank was attacked.
Speaking on the issue, Maharashtra Chief minister Ashok Chavan stated, “There should be a solution to this problem and we all need to work on the differences between Maharashtra and Karnataka. In a democratic country, this kind of pressure on the public is not done.”
Hardline Kannada organisations retaliated by attacking two branches of Bank of Maharashtra and putting roadblocks in many parts of the state.
Life has come to a virtual standstill because of the indefinite suspension of interstate bus services and the tense atmosphere on either side.
According to a conservative estimate, nearly 30 lakh people from both states cross the 500-kilometer-long border every day for work and business.
But what is more worrying is the growing intolerance and language chuvinism in both Karnataka and Maharashtra.
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