Maharashtra: Ruckus in Assembly over border row

Nagpur (Maharashtra) [India], December 26 (ANI): The Winter session of the Maharashtra Assembly on Monday saw chaotic scenes as both the ruling coalition and Opposition members traded barbs over the protracted border dispute with Karnataka, as well as other issues.
Opposition MLAs came down heavily on the ruling combine over the border row while alleging land scams on the watch of Chief Minister Eknath Shinde. They targeted both the Maharashtra and Karnataka governments over the border row.
Issuing a statement on the border dispute, Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said, "We won't leave our people residing in border areas alone. We'll fight for every inch of our land, be it in the Supreme Court or with the Centre. We'll fight against injustice meted out to those living in border areas. Maharashtra won't relent."
It was reported that Chief Minister Eknath Shinde will bring a resolution to the border dispute on Tuesday. Through this resolution, the government will also clarify its stand on the dispute, sources said.
Leader of the Opposition in Assembly and senior Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader, Ajit Pawar, former CM Prithviraj Chavan and Shiv Sena (Uddhav Thackeray) member Bhaskar Jadhav demanded that a resolution be adopted in the Assembly on the border issue.
Uddhav said in the Assembly, "While Karnataka chief minister is aggressive on border row, CM Shinde is silent. Until the Supreme Court declares Belagavi, Karwar and Nippani as Union Territories, it should be added to the resolution that is to be adopted by the Assembly."

Uddhav further said, "There is a single-party government in Maharashtra and Delhi. Both the chief ministers consider the Prime Minister as their leader. The chief minister went to Delhi, discussed the matter with the Home minister and decided to leave it to the Supreme Court."
He added, "Then someone who aggravated the situation. Belgaum was renamed and a case of sedition was registered for speaking in Marathi. People from the border areas want to come to Maharashtra. The Maharashtra government made a film on these questions long back and I have submitted the pen drive of the movie."
"People of Belagavi, Karwar and Nippani have been using Marathi nameplates since 1857. I want the resolution to be passed today as the CM is in Delhi," added Uddhav.
The ruling party, too, targeted the Opposition, especially the Uddhav Thackeray faction and accused the Yuva Sena (Sena's Youth wing), of shielding a woman connected to gangster and Mumbai blasts-accused Dawood Ibrahim.

Before the start of proceedings, the Opposition members agitated on the steps of the Vidhan Bhavan, targeting the ruling coalition over its policies. (ANI)