Marathas played significant role in nation-building: CM Bommai
Haveri (KTK), Dec 24: Amid the border row with neighbouring Maharashtra, Chief Minister of Karnataka Basavaraj Bommai on Saturday underlined the role of Marathas in nation-building and emphasised on respecting the diverse cultural and religious sentiments that unite the country.
The Chief Minister said Karnataka is home to people who speak different languages and live harmoniously in the State like a native Kannadiga.
"This (Maratha) community has been in Karnataka for hundreds of years. The community has embraced Karnataka's land, water, culture and language," Bommai said after laying the foundation stone of Maratha Bhavan in his home constituency of Shiggaon in Haveri district.
"Like any other citizen here, they are also the proud Kannadigas who are second to none. There are very old cultural ties with Marathas, which have grown over a period of time, which we should respect," Bommai said.
He pointed out that the Kannadigas are present all over the country, including in Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, and Maharashtra. They mingled with the local people and became an integral part.
The Chief Minister noted that in Karnataka, there are people who speak Telugu, Tamil, Marathi, Odiya, Assamese, Hindi, and Rajasthani. Yet, they live like any other Kannadiga in absolute harmony.
"These cultural and religious aspects unite India. It is important to protect it for its unity and integrity," Bommai said.
He said the country is a democratic nation wherein hundreds of languages, various castes and communities are present.
This federal and democratic India with so many categories is successful because of the Constitution, gifted by Baba Saheb Ambedkar to the people, Bommai said.
By giving equal rights to everyone, freedom to explore opportunities and by encouraging brotherhood among people, this Constitution has been able to unite this country, he added.
Expressing gratitude to Dr Ambedkar, Bommai said he (Ambedkar) had set aside the humiliation and atrocities he had faced life and gave the Constitution by keeping the nation and its people's sentiments in mind.
"A country is not just road or building. A country is about people, their culture and character. Keeping this in mind, Baba Saheb Ambedkar built this Constitution," the Chief Minister said.
Bommai recalled also the contribution of the Maratha ruler of the 17th century Shivaji Maharaj in establishing a Hindu dynasty.
"Shivaji Maharaj's role in protecting society and religion was immense. He belonged to the entire country and everyone feels proud of him," he told the gathering.
Bommai said the Karnataka government has released a grant of Rs 100 crore for the Maratha Development Corporation and chalked out its programmes which include funds for scholarship to students who want to study abroad, loans to become self-employed and irrigation schemes for farmers from the community.
The Chief Minister's remarks came at a time when Maharashtra and Karnataka have locked horns over a border dispute involving Belagavi.
Just ahead of the Karnataka's legislature session in Belagavi, Maharashtra raked up its demand of merger of Belagavi with it on the ground that the district has a substantial Marathi population. But, Karnataka rejected the demand saying the border issue has been settled long back.
Amid a war of words between the leaders of Karnataka and Maharashtra on the issue, the Karnataka Assembly passed a resolution on December 22.
"There is no compromise on the matters relating to Karnataka's land, water, language and Kannadiga's interest. The feelings of Karnataka's people and members (of Assembly) are one on this subject, and if that gets affected, we all would commit ourselves to unitedly take Constitutional and legal measures to protect the interests of the State.
Condemning the border created by Maharashtra unnecessarily, this House unanimously passed a resolution that it is committed to protect the interest of the State, the resolution read.
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Karnataka Governor gives assent to legislation against ‘honour killing’ in inter-caste marriages
Bengaluru: The government has brought into force the Karnataka Freedom of Choice in Marriage and Prevention and Prohibition of Crimes in the name of honour and tradition (Eva Nammava Eva Nammava) Act, 2026, intended to restrict ‘honour killings’ in inter-caste marriages.
According to The Indian Express, the legislation received assent from Governor Thawar Chand Gehlot on April 9 and was officially notified in the state gazette on April 10. The law had been passed unanimously by the state legislature last month.
The Bill was proposed by the Congress government in the wake of caste-linked ‘honour killings’ in the state, including the December 21, 2025, murder near Hubli of a 20-year-old Lingayat woman by her father for marrying a man from another caste.
The phrase ‘Eva Nammava Eva Nammava’ in the title is in reference to the message of universal humanity that the Lingayat saint Basavanna espoused. Basavanna, who rebelled against the caste system to lay the foundation of the Lingayat faith system, an amalgamation of all castes, used the words meaning ‘he is a part of me’ to say all people are one.
Under the new law, crimes committed in the name of ‘honour’, including murder, assault, threats, and social boycott, are specifically addressed with stringent punishments. ‘Honour killing’ offences carry a minimum imprisonment of five years, while serious assaults attract at least three years in jail.
The new law defines the social boycott of inter-caste couples as forcible eviction to remote corners of villages, refusal to provide services, refusal to provide work, refusal to conduct business, denial of loans and admissions to schools, and makes it punishable.
In the case of ‘honour killings’ per se, the new law prescribes a minimum imprisonment of five years, and in the case of assaults, a prison term that is not less than three years for serious injury and two years for minor injuries.
The offences under the proposed law are cognisable and non-bailable, which means police can carry out arrests without court permissions after taking up a case.
The legislation follows several reported inter-caste relationship-related killings in Karnataka in 2025, including cases in Raichur and another involving 18-year-old Kavita.
The law to protect the freedom of choice in marriages is among several social bills that the Congress government has brought out in line with its policies for the backward and downtrodden communities in the state.
