Mumbai, Dec 19: In the backdrop of dissolution of the Belgaum Corporation by Karnataka government, Shiv Sena supremo Bal Thackeray on Sunday appealed all MPs from Maharashtra to come together for the cause of merger of Marathi-speaking areas with the state.
A delegation of the Maharashtra Ekikaran Samity (MES), which was ruling the Belgaum municipality, called on Thackeray at his residence tonight here.
The Sena patriarch appealed all MPs from the state to submit a joint memorandum to the President and Prime Minister for inclusion of Marathi-speaking areas like Belgaum and Karwar, to name a few, that fall in Karnataka into Maharashtra.
He also said the representatives of people from the state should organise a massive rally in Delhi to press for the merger demand.
Maharashtra and Karnataka have been at the loggerheads over inclusion of Marathi-speaking areas in Karnataka with the former. Belgaum, which has a sizable Marathi-speaking population, has been a bone of contention between the two states.
“If needed Shiv Sena will call for a Maharashtra bandh on this issue,” Thackeray told the delegation.
Karnataka government recently superseded Belgaum Corporation for not performing its functions in accordance with the Karnataka Municipal Corporation Act 1976, and for certain actions that “offended the sentiments” of the people.
The city mayor and deputy mayor had observed Karnataka foundation day on November 1 as “black day”.
The civic body had also passed a resolution stating that it will not hold civic reception to honour the Jnanpith awardee Chandrasekhara Kambara, which had triggered protest in other parts of the state.
