Maha legislature passes resolution to 'legally pursue' inclusion of 865 K'taka villages into state
Nagpur (PTI): The Maharashtra legislature on Tuesday unanimously passed a resolution to "legally pursue" inclusion of 865 Marathi-speaking villages in Karnataka into the western state, amid the raging boundary dispute between the two states.
The resolution moved by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde in both Houses of the Maharashtra legislature said the Karnataka legislature had passed a resolution on the issue to purposely fuel the border row and condemned the southern state's stand.
"The state government stands resolutely with the Marathi-speaking people in 865 villages and cities of Belgaum (also called Belagavi), Karwar, Nipani, Bidar and Bhalki that are being contested in the Supreme Court," said the resolution passed in the Maharashtra legislature.
"The state government will legally pursue in the Supreme Court the case to include (in Maharashtra) inch and inch of land of Belgaum, Karwar Bidar, Nipani, Bhalki cities and the 865 Marathi-speaking villages in Karnataka," it added.
The Maharashtra resolution said when the chief ministers of the two states had met Union Home Minister Amit Shah, it was decided that till the Supreme Court gives its judgement in the matter, it should be ensured that the issue does not flare up any further. However, the Karnataka government took a contrary stand by passing a resolution in its state Assembly.
The border issue dates back to 1957 after the reorganisation of states on linguistic lines.
The Karnataka Legislative Assembly last Thursday unanimously passed a resolution on border row with Maharashtra, resolving to protect the southern state's interests and not to cede an inch of land to its neighbour.
The resolution had also condemned the border dispute "created" by Maharashtra.
The Shiv Sena (Uddhav Thackeray faction) on Tuesday demanded in the Maharashtra Assembly that the 865 villages be declared as a Union Territory till the Supreme Court gives its verdict on the issue. However, it did not figure in the resolution.
Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said in the Assembly that the case is pending before the Supreme Court and it also has to be ensured that there is no contempt of court while putting forth the demand, as the matter is sub-judice.
Maharashtra laid claim to Belagavi, which was part of the erstwhile Bombay Presidency, as it has a sizable Marathi-speaking population. It also laid claim to more than 800 Marathi-speaking villages which are currently part of Karnataka.
Karnataka maintains the demarcation done on linguistic lines as per the States Reorganisation Act and the 1967 Mahajan Commission Report as final.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Will end drain of wealth from Indian families to crony corporates: Cong
New Delhi (PTI): The Congress on Thursday accused the Modi government of aiding "drain of wealth" from ordinary Indians to crony corporates, and said it will end this practice if it comes to power at the Centre.
The Congress attack came a day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that Rahul Gandhi had stopped "abusing" Adani and Ambani and whether his party received money from them in return.
"On June 4, as the Congress-led government takes power, we will rapidly accelerate economic growth while ensuring that ordinary Indian families are the biggest beneficiaries. We will end the 'drain of wealth' from Indian families to crony corporates," Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh said in a statement.
"The 'Hum Do Hamare Do' effect: Net household savings fell by 9 lakh crores in the last three years. Real household savings are at their lowest since 2014. PM Modi has overseen a 'drain of wealth' - from Bharat ke Parivar to Modi ka Parivar," Ramesh also said in a post on X, while sharing his statement.
The Congress leader, in his statement, said 150 years ago, Dadabhai Naoroji's "Drain Theory" explained how the wealth of India's people was being taken away and sent to England.
"Since 2014, we have seen a similar 'drain of wealth' from Bharat ke Parivaar (India's families) to Modi ka Parivaar (Modi's family). This is the intentional effect of the prime minister's 'Hum Do Humaare Do' policy of favouring his cronies, he said.
"With each passing day of Modi's Anyay Kaal, this 'Drain of Wealth' breaks a shameful new record. The National Accounts Statistics released on 7 May, 2024 show that India's net household savings have decreased by Rs. 9 lakh crore in three years," he claimed.
Ramesh alleged that India's households are depleting their savings and falling into debt due to the economic mismanagement, incompetence, and anti-people policies of the Modi government"
He noted that loans to households have increased from 7 lakh crore to 14 lakh crore in last three years.
Citing figures to highlight there is a crisis for Indian households and consumers, he said in September 2023, the RBI bulletin showed India's net financial savings at just 5.1 per cent of the GDP, which was the lowest in 47 years.
"In a real sense, the BJP government is responsible for ripping away mangalsutras, as its economic failures have pushed gold loans to a record high. Outstanding gold loans have crossed Rs. 1 lakh crore for the first time in India's history, as per RBI data," the Congress leader alleged.
"Any growth that has happened since 2014, has been only for the crony industrialist friends of the Prime Minister: Today, 21 billionaires have more wealth than the poorest 70 crore Indians combined," he alleged.
"Today, the richest 1% have 40% of India's wealth - this is higher than it was during the British colonial times, and is among the worst in the world. This is the reality of Modi's Anyay Kaal. While Hum Do, Humaare Do have prospered, ordinary Indian families have suffered under failed economic policies like demonetisation, badly-designed GST, and unplanned lockdowns," Ramesh also claimed.
Congress leader P Chidambaram, meanwhile, said the party's manifesto on economy has promised to support the private sector and every kind of enterprise -- large, medium, small and micro.
"Regulatory oversight will be based on clearly enunciated laws and rules that will be applied fairly and without discrimination. We will ensure a level playing field for all. We are opposed to monopolies and oligopolies and crony capitalism.
"We will ensure that no company or person arrogates to itself or himself the financial or material resources or the business opportunities or the concessions that ought to be available to every entrepreneur," he said in a post.
