Union home minister Amit Shah on Wednesday held a meeting in New Delhi with Karnataka chief minister Basavaraj Bommai and his Maharashtra counterpart Eknath Shinde to discuss the Belagavi border tussle between the two states.
“The meeting between Maharashtra and Karnataka on the border issue was held in a positive atmosphere today. Keeping a positive approach, the chief ministers agreed that a resolution should be reached in a constitutional manner,” Shah told the media.

Shah said both states have agreed to form a committee headed by one senior IPS officer regarding this matter so that constitutional norms are followed and law and order are maintained in both states so that outsiders and locals don’t face any problems.

“Some fake Twitter accounts were opened in the names of political leaders (of both states) to spread misinformation about the matter. FIRs will be registered against such Twitter accounts and people involved will be exposed in public,” Shah added.

The Karnataka-Maharashta border row escalated into violence after vehicles from both states were attacked and damaged in Belgaon and Pune.

Since its creation on May 1, 1960, Maharashtra has claimed that 865 villages, including Belgaon (now Belgavi), Karwar and Nippani, should be merged into Maharashtra. Karnataka, however, has refused to part with its territory.
Shah said no party will make any “claim” against each other until the Supreme Court gives a decision on the matter.

“Until the Supreme Court gives the decision in the matter, none of the two states will make any claim on each other. Three ministers from both sides will meet and discuss the issue. The ministers will also resolve other issues pending between the two states,” he said. He also urged the opposition parties of both states to not “politicise” the issue. “I urge the opposition parties of both Maharashtra and Karnataka not to politicise this issue. We should wait for the outcome of the discussions of the committee formed to resolve this issue and the decision of the Supreme Court. I am confident that NCP, Congress, and the Uddhav Thackeray group will cooperate,” he said.