On December 5, the Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai said that he will ask his Maharashtra counterpart Eknath Shinde not to send his Ministers to Belagavi, amid the rising border dispute between both the states, as it may disrupt the law and order situation in the border district.

“We’ve already communicated to them that it will create a law & order problem, therefore, it’s not the right time to come. I appeal to Maharashtra CM that the matter is in court & fight it legally,” Bommai said in a press conference.

“We have already instructed the officials concerned regarding the measures to be taken in case they go ahead with the visit, and the government will not hesitate to take any legal action,” Bommai further said.

“There is harmony between the people of Karnataka and Maharashtra, at the same time, there is a border dispute as well. The border dispute is a closed chapter according to Karnataka, but repeatedly Maharashtra rakes up the issue and has even gone before the Supreme Court,” the Karnataka CM further said.

When the matter is before Supreme Court, such acts and visits are provocative and will instigate the people, so Maharashtra Ministers should not come, he said adding that he will once again make a request to the Maharashtra Chief Minister in this regard.

Earlier, on December 1, Bommai reiterated his government’s stand over the border issue. “Karnataka’s stand is very clear, Maharashtra’s appeal is not maintainable, that’s our stand, and the same will be argued by our lawyers. Our stand is both constitutional and legal,” Bommai had said.

Maharashtra ministers Chandrakant Patil and Shambhuraj Desai are scheduled to visit Belagavi on December 6 to address the border dispute.