The Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) today stopped its bus services to Karnataka in response to a police notice.
The State Transport Department said that this was done in response to a police security advisory that buses may be targeted and assaulted within Karnataka amid the ongoing Maharashtra-Karnataka border conflict. “A call to restart services will be made once police have given their approval on the safety and security of the passengers and buses,” sources added.
Earlier on Tuesday, Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis stated that he will meet with Union Home Minister Amit Shah to discuss the current border conflict between Maharashtra and Karnataka.
In a press conference, Fadnavis told that he had spoken with Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai about the happenings on Tuesday.
“I personally spoke with Karnataka’s Chief Minister. We make certain that Sharad Pawar saheb does not have to travel to Karnataka. I will speak with Union Home Minister Amit Shah about the Karnataka disagreement, and he will look into it as soon as possible” stated Fadnavis.
He also advised the people of Maharashtra and Karnataka to keep the peace and not to take law and order into their own hands.
Meanwhile, Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj S Bommai and his Maharashtra counterpart Eknath Shinde spoke on the phone on Tuesday about the problem and agreed that both states should preserve peace, law, and order.
The boundary dispute between Maharashtra and Karnataka dates back to the 1956 State Reorganization Act. The Maharashtra government at the time sought that its boundary with Karnataka be readjusted.
Following that, both states organised a four-member committee. The Maharashtra government claimed willingness to relocate 260 primarily Kannada-speaking villages, but Karnataka rejected the plan.
Both the Karnataka and Maharashtra governments have now petitioned the Supreme Court to expedite the suit, which is still pending.
