Amid border dispute, Maharashtra Assembly likely to witness stormy winter session

Nagpur (Maharashtra) [India], December 18 (ANI): The winter session of the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly is likely to be stormy over the ongoing border dispute with the neighbouring state Karnataka and the issue of derogatory statements on great personalities.

The winter session will start on Monday in Nagpur. After two years, the assembly session is being held in Nagpur. It was in 2019 when the winter session was held in Nagpur. Further due to the COVID pandemic, the session could not be held in Nagpur for two years. Meanwhile, the Maharashtra cabinet on Sunday approved the decision to introduce Lokayukta law in the state. The Lokayukta will be appointed in the state on the lines of the Lokpal at the Centre. A committee of five former judges will be part of Lokayukta. The Chief Minister and the cabinet will be under the ambit of Lokayukta.

“Today in the cabinet meeting, we have taken important decisions. We have approved the Anna Hazare Committee report on introducing Lokayukta in Maharashtra on the lines of Lokpal. A Bill will be brought in this session,” Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Fadnavis told reporters.

“The Chief Minister and the cabinet will be brought under the ambit of the Lokayukta. Anti-Corruption Act will be made a part of this law, and the Lokayukta will have a team of five people including retired judges,” added the Maharashtra Deputy CM.

Chief Minister Eknath Shinde said he wants to run the government with full transparency.

“We will run the government with complete transparency. We will make Maharashtra corruption free, that is why we have decided to bring Lokayukta law into the state,” said CM Shinde.

Regarding the ongoing border dispute with Karnataka, Chief Minister Eknath Shinde said that the state government is working to provide basic facilities in the border villages of Maharashtra.

“In the past, we have solved the water problem of some border villages. Regarding the border dispute, Union Home Minister Amit Shah has mediated on our request and for the first time, it has been taken seriously. We firmly stand with the border residents. No one should do politics on it. It is a matter of our pride,” Shinde said.
Shinde further said that we the government will bring a proposal in the winter session on the border dispute with Karnataka.

Leader of the Opposition in the state Assembly and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Ajit Pawar said that the issue of the Maharashtra-Karnataka border dispute and alleged derogatory statements against great men will be raised in the winter season.

Speaking to reporters, Pawar said, “Maharashtra CM should give answer to his Karnataka counterpart about his aggressive talks. In the last 62 years, no border village in Maharashtra has expressed its desire to become a part of another state, but in the Shinde-Fadnavis government, the people living in border villages are now expressing their desire to be part of other states including Karnataka.”

Pawar said that the Governor, senior ministers of the government and many MLAs of the ruling party are making objectionable and derogatory statements about great personalities, which is not tolerable. The NCP leader further said that the issue of many development projects in Maharashtra being shifted to other states will also be on the agenda of the opposition.

“Unemployment and inflation are important issues, emphasise will be given to these issues,” added Pawar.