The Shiv Sena chief chose to direct his anger against Karnataka on Monday, referring to it as a ‘snake’.
Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray chose to direct his anger against Karnataka on Monday, referring to it as a ‘snake’ while expressing shock at Maharashtra’s decision to share water with the scarcity-hit districts in Karnataka.
“It seems that the Maharashtra government has taken a contract to feed a snake,” Thackeray said in an editorial in Saamna, the Shiv Sena’s mouthpiece. “In Karnataka, immense atrocities are being heaped on Marathi-speaking people but our government has forgotten those atrocities and decided to share water with that state. Not a drop of water should be given to the Karnataka government, which has always been unjust to the Marathi-speaking populace there.”
Politicians in Karnataka reacted angrily to the outburst.
“Thackeray is a fool. Water belongs to nature ultimately. It’s good that two states are sharing the water. He has been doing the work of dividing states for his survival for quite a long time,” said BC Patil, actor and Congress MLA.
“We should ignore Thackeray’s statement. Hurling abuses at the Maharashtra government and the CM for having released water for drinking purposes… It’s atrocious to play his card on the issue of drinking water. He is not a man of concern and humanity,” said MC Nanaiah, JD (S) leader.
“The Maharashtra CM has agreed to release water at a time when there’s severe scarcity of drinking water across the Krishna river basin. I’m grateful to the people of Maharashtra. I can only request Thackeray not to see us as enemies. …Thackeray should see us as brothers. It’s not only about people; their entire livelihoods are going to depend on the water released by Maharashtra,” said Govind M Karajol, minister for minor irrigation, Kannada and culture.
“Most Marathi-speaking people in the border areas will benefit from Mahrashtra’s gesture. Thackeray should behave like a gentleman and not like a street urchin,” said Sa Ra Govindu, president, Akhila Karnataka Dr Rajkumar Abhimanigala Sangha.
“Thackeray is a dirty snake if he has described Karnataka as a snake. Kannadigas never committed atrocities on Marathi-speaking people in the border areas. There’ve been many instances of Marathis committing atrocities on Kannadigas,” said Narayana Gowda, president, Karnataka Rakshana Vedike.
Despite a long-drawn dispute over Belgaum, Maharashtra and Karnataka recently agreed to share water among people in the dry districts of the states. Maharashtra agreed to release water from the Dudhganga and the Warna to the border districts of Karnataka till the monsoon’s arrival. Karnataka said it would release Almati backwater, which will help tackle the water scarcity in Jat taluka of Sangli district in western Maharashtra.
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