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Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Tuesday dismissed Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray's demand to make Belgavi a Union Territory as "childish."
Speaking to media persons, Siddaramaiah said, "The Mahajan Commission report on Belgaum is the final one. It's folly (to demand) that the district should be included in Maharashtra. The Karnataka government will not tolerate childish statements being made in this regard." When asked about Maharashtra Ekikaran Samiti (MES) protests, the Karnataka CM said, "If Maharashtra Ekikaran Samiti (MES) protests, will we keep quiet?" Earlier on Monday, Aditya Thackeray, in a post on X, said that he is ready to support the proposal to make Belgaum a union territory after the Karnataka government denied permission for 'Marathi Ekikaran Samiti' to hold their conference in Karnataka. "We are ready to unanimously support the proposal to make Belgaum a union territory for the justice of the Marathi people," he said. Thackeray also demanded an end to "injustice" against the Marathi people, saying, "The Karnataka government not only denied permission to the General Conference of the Maharashtra Integration Committee being held in Belgaum but also imposed a curfew in Belgaum. Borders are also being closed. Strong protest against this injustice on Marathi people!" Notably, Belgavi is a district in Karnataka bordering Maharashtra. Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Monday also criticised the Karnataka government for denying permission to 'Marathi Ekikaran Samiti' to hold their conference in the state. Shinde accused the Siddaramaiah government of "repressing" the Maratha community by arresting several leaders. Speaking to the media, Shinde said, "Marathi-speaking people in Karnataka had organised a conference. In this country, one can live anywhere, go anywhere, and organise a conference, but the Karnataka government unleashed a cycle of repression and arrested the MLA, mayor, and more than 100 Marathi-speaking brothers and sisters of the Marathi Ekikaran Samiti who had organised the conference. I condemn this." (ANI)
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