Karnataka - Belgaum   

Centre's `delay' in replying to suit draws flak

By Our Staff Correspondent

BELGAUM, NOV. 24. The Belgaum District Kannada Organisations' Action Committee comprising Kannada associations in the district has threatened to launch an agitation if the Congress-Janata Dal (Secular) coalition Government headed by N. Dharam Singh does not take steps to protect the interests of Kannadigas in Belgaum.

Addressing a press conference here on Wednesday, veteran Kannada activist and former Mayor Siddangouda Patil and Ashok Chandargi, president of the committee, expressed displeasure over the alleged lack of seriousness on the part of the State Government in submitting its response to the suit filed by Maharashtra in the Supreme Court staking claim over Belgaum and adjoining areas in Karnataka.

The suit was filed in September following which the apex court gave two months for the respondents — Government of India and the State Government — to reply. Despite "lack of adequate cooperation" from the State Government, the one-man Datar Committee had done a good job in compiling data for preparing Karnataka's reply, which was filed by the official advocate on November 18, they said.

`Centre not serious'

The two said that the Union Government had not filed its reply and had sought 15 days to do so. This showed that the Centre was not serious in protecting the interests of Kannadigas, they added.

Mr. Patil and Mr. Chandargi raised doubts over the Centre playing a non-partisan role in the issue and alleged that the delay in filing its reply was deliberate.

The Chief Minister should lead an all-party delegation to prevail upon the Centre to file its reply soon, they said.

They criticised the legislators and Lok Sabha members representing the district for their "failure" to pressure the Centre to defend its decision on the Mahajan Committee report.

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