• Source:JND
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Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray on Monday demanded that Belagavi, a city in Karnataka bordering Maharashtra, be declared a Union Territory. His demand was met with criticism from Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, who called Thackeray's statement "childish." Thackeray had written to Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, urging him to push for a proposal to declare Belagavi a Union Territory, citing the injustice faced by Marathi-speaking people in the region.

In response, Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah dismissed the demand, saying, "It’s a childish statement. The Mahajan report is final. Neither should we ask for anything, nor should they. How can it be declared a Union Territory? And if the Maharashtra Ekikaran Samiti (MES) protests, will we keep quiet?"

The proposal has also drawn reactions from the opposition. BJP leader CN Ashwath Narayan opposed Thackeray’s move, stating, "The Mahajan Commission has already provided a clear report. Why is Aaditya Thackeray trying to instigate the issue again and again? He should focus on helping the people of Maharashtra," as quoted by news agency ANI.

As the winter session of the Karnataka assembly began on Monday, several members of the Maharashtra Ekikaran Samiti organized a protest in Belagavi. However, the Karnataka government reportedly prohibited the gathering and banned leaders from Maharashtra from entering the state.

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What Is the Belagavi Border Issue?

The Belagavi border problem is a long-running dispute between the states of Maharashtra and Karnataka regarding possession of Belagavi, a city in northern Karnataka that borders Maharashtra. The controversy goes back to 1956, when India's state boundaries were reorganised along linguistic lines.

Historically, Belagavi was part of the Bombay Presidency before India's independence. Following the reorganization, it was incorporated into the newly-formed state of Karnataka, which was previously known as the State of Mysore.


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On November 1, 2014, the Karnataka government, with approval from the central government of India, renamed the city from Belgaum to Belagavi along with 12 other cities. In Maharashtra and among Marathi-speaking communities, Belagavi is commonly referred to as Belgaon. The Karnataka government has proposed making Belagavi the second capital of Karnataka, alongside Bengaluru.

The dispute dates back to 1948, when the Maharashtra Ekikaran Samiti, a Belagavi-based regional organization advocating for the city’s merger with Maharashtra, was formed. On January 17, 1956, police forces from the Mysore state (now Karnataka) fired on Marathi activists opposing the city's inclusion in Karnataka. Since then, January 17 has been observed as 'Martyrs' Day' by the Maharashtra Ekikaran Samiti.

Although the case is still pending before the Supreme Court of India, the issue continues to evoke strong political statements. In 2019, Maharashtra's Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar called for the incorporation of Belagavi, Karwar, and Nipani into Maharashtra, referring to it as a dream of Shiv Sena founder Bal Thackeray. In January 2021, Maharashtra's Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray reiterated this stance, controversially referring to the region as 'Karnataka-occupied areas'.

The border dispute remains unresolved and continues to be a sensitive issue between the two states.