Karnataka on Thursday accused Maharashtra of trying to "vitiate" peace by provoking people living in border areas and asserted that the state government is committed to protecting the interests of Marathi-speaking people in the state.
"Marathi-speaking people have been living in amity for decades in Karnataka. But the Maharashtra government and some vested interests have been making attempts to project that there is a border dispute between the two states and provoking people in Belgaum. There are attempts to vitiate peace," Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa told reporters in Bengaluru.
Refusing to join issue with Shiv Sena leader Bal Thackeray who wrote about it in an editorial in his party mouthpiece 'Saamana', Yeddyurappa assured him that Marathi-speaking people in Karnataka would face no problems.
"The Karnataka government is committed in protecting interests of all linguistic minorities, including Marathi speaking people," he said, adding the Maharashtra government, as also Shiv Sena, had a similar responsibility to protect the interests of people of Karnataka in that state.
"My attention has been drawn to an editorial by Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray in Saamna. I wish to make it categorically clear that the Karnataka government will never encourage any anti-social elements or forces to target any linguistic or religious minorities," Yeddyurappa said.
Though Karnataka viewed the border dispute involving Belgaum as a 'closed chapter', it was being repeatedly raked up, he said and pointed out that the Mahajan Commission report was "final" on the boundary row.
"I am happy that the Centre has reiterated Karnataka's stand on Belgaum," Yeddyurappa said.
The Centre, in an affidavit filed in the Supreme Court on July 7, had said Belgaum district in Karnataka cannot be ceded to Maharashtra merely because it has a large chunk of Marathi-speaking people.
It also pointed out that reorganisation of states was carried out in 1956 and 1960 on the basis of various criteria and language was only one of them and not the sole factor.
Yeddyurappa also said he has instructed police not to allow individuals or organisations indulge in violence and that no support be given to such activities.
