HUBLI: Several Kannada organisations of Belgaum have urged Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to handle the border dispute between Maharashtra and Karnataka himself.

Addressing presspersons in Belgaum on Saturday, former mayor of Belgaum City Corporation Siddanagouda Patil, veteran journalist Raghavendra Joshi and others said the Prime Minister himself should handle the issue owing to its sensitivity.

They urged Dr. Singh to dissociate Union Home Minister Shivraj Patil from dealing with the issue. Since Maharashtra is Mr. Patil's home State, his stand on the issue would be biased, which would adversely affect the interests of Karnataka, they said.

They urged the Union Government to nominate non-Marathi and non-Kannada speaking persons to deal with the border issue.

Although Karnataka has not much threat from the legal aspects, chances are that political pressure might pose a threat to the interests of Kannadigas, they said.

They said that a meeting of all Kannada organisations in the State would be called, most probably in Bangalore, to chalk out the next course of action. A final decision regarding the meeting would be taken within four days, they added.

They urged the Congress in the State to take the lead and take an all-party delegation to meet AICC president Sonia Gandhi during her visit to Bangalore on Sunday to impress upon her to take an impartial stand on the issue.

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