BANGALORE: The Government on Monday struck at Marathi separatists by superseding the Belgaum City Corporation for taking an obdurate stand favouring the merger of the Marathi-dominated areas of Belgaum district with Maharashtra.

An eight-page order was issued here by the Municipal Administration Department under Section 99 (1) of the Karnataka Municipalities Act of 1976. The Deputy Commissioner of Belgaum District has been appointed administrator of the civic body.

The civic body, which was dominated by the separatist Maharashtra Ekikaran Samithi, invited trouble by adopting a resolution favouring the merger of Belgaum, Nippani and other regions with Maharashtra.

The Government's action is seen as an attempt to placate the sentiments of Kannada organisations, one of which, the Kannada Rakshana Vedike, assaulted and humiliated the Mayor of the border city, Vijay Pandurang More, at the Legislators' Home here recently.

Resolution

There is no mention of the resolution adopted by the Belgaum City Corporation in the Government Order. The Belgaum dispute is already before the Supreme Court.

Belgaum Staff Correspondent reports:

Tension gripped Belgaum city and other parts of the district bordering Maharashtra as news of the Government's decision spread.

Deputy Commissioner Shalini Rajneesh, who received the Government Order in her office here at around 8.30 p.m., took charge as administrator of the corporation as directed by the Government, official sources said. The police have made elaborate security arrangements to prevent untoward incidents.

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail