New Delhi: Tensions between Karnataka and Maharashtra have flared up once again over a language dispute, leading to the indefinite suspension of interstate government bus services between the two states. The decision comes days after a Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) conductor was assaulted in Belagavi district for allegedly insisting that passengers speak in Kannada.
On Sunday, Maharashtra transport minister Pratap Sarnaik announced the suspension of Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) bus services to Karnataka, citing concerns for the safety of drivers and conductors. His statement followed the assault of an MSRTC driver in Karnataka’s Chitradurga district on Saturday. Sarnaik called upon Karnataka’s Congress-led government to clarify the attacks on MSRTC workers and start discussions to resolve the issue.
Similarly, Karnataka halted its KSRTC services to Maharashtra, with officials saying that tensions between linguistic groups had made it unsafe for state transport employees to operate in cross-border areas.
Political tension escalates over language row
The disruption has impacted thousands of commuters who rely on these bus services for daily travel between the two states. Passengers are now resorting to private transport to reach their destinations.
The row has drawn reactions from political leaders on both sides. Karnataka BJP chief B Y Vijayendra condemned the attack on the KSRTC conductor, stating that “insulting Kannada & Karnataka, that too within the state, is unpardonable”. He also warned that those benefiting from Karnataka but speaking against its culture and language would not be tolerated, a TOI report mentioned.
On the other hand, Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut called for Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union home minister Amit Shah to intervene and hold a meeting between the chief ministers of Karnataka and Maharashtra to prevent such incidents in the future.
The dispute has reignited the decades-old Maharashtra-Karnataka border conflict, with both linguistic groups—Maharashtra Ekikaran Samiti and Karnataka Rakshana Vedike—accusing each other of inflaming tensions by giving a language angle to the controversy.
Commuters bear the brunt
With more than 250 MSRTC buses to Karnataka cancelled on Sunday, thousands of commuters were left stranded. Many had to find alternative ways to reach their destinations. Around 600 trips are made daily between Kolhapur and Karnataka, carrying over 10,000 passengers. The suspension of services has disrupted the travel of students, professionals, and traders who frequently move between the two states.
The dispute over Belagavi (formerly Belgaum) dates back to 1956 when the reorganisation of states assigned it to Karnataka, despite its substantial Marathi-speaking population. Maharashtra has long claimed Belagavi and surrounding villages, arguing that they were wrongly included in Karnataka.
In 1966, the Mahajan Commission ruled in Karnataka’s favour, rejecting Maharashtra’s claims. However, Maharashtra refused to accept the verdict and took the matter to the Supreme Court in 2004, where it remains unresolved. Karnataka, to reinforce its hold over the region, built the Suvarna Vidhana Soudha in Belagavi, where it holds legislative sessions annually.
