Mumbai, Dec 3 (IANS): In what is termed as a 'needling' of the Maharashtra government, Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai has announced Rs 10 crore to construct a 'Kannada Bhavan' in Solapur, attracting howls of protest from this state, here on Saturday.
Slamming Bommai, Shiv Sena (UBT) President and ex-CM Uddhav Thackeray wondered why the state Chief Minister Eknath Shinde is keeping mum on the Karnataka CM's aggressive stance on the boiling border row between the two states.
"How can he remain so calm after returning from Assam for thanks giving to Goddess Kamakhyadevi after staging a rebellion to join hands with Bharatiya Janata Party and topple the government? Will he go to Guwahati to resolve the border issue and ensure that Belgaum comes to Maharashtra," Thackeray asked.
He pointed out that normally every state had a building belonging to other states, but the Maharashtra CM has not yet said what is the relation between us and Karnataka, he has not spoken a word on this.
CM Bommai also barred two Maharashtra Ministers Chandrakant Patil and Shambhuraj Desai from travelling to the disputed areas owing to tensions building up there after which the trip has reportedly been rescheduled for December 3 - 6.
Earlier, Bommai had staked claims to certain new regions in the border districts of Kolhapur, Sangli and Solapur as Maharashtra parties protested vociferously.
Commenting strongly on the latest developments, Sena (UBT) Chief Spokesperson and MP Sanjay Raut asked whether Bommai will also construct a 'Kannada Bhavan' in Goa or Kerala, as he is planning to do in Maharashtra.
"We are making a demand that the Karnataka CM should allow us to build a Maharashtra Bhavan in Belgaum and Bengaluru, just as you want to build a (Kannada) bhavan in Solapura Decide and give us land for our bhavan in the two cities," Raut said.
Attempting to walk a tightrope, Mumbai BJP President Ashish Shelar said that the party's stand was to avoid tensions on both (states) sides at all costs, but if anybody, including Ministers want to visit there, nobody can stop them, and the state BJP will counter any provocations from Karnataka.