Sena seeks NHRC intervention into lathicharge on MES workers

The Shiv Sena in Maharashtra Thursday sought intervention of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) into the "attack" by Karnataka police personnel on the activists of the Maharashtra Ekikaran Samiti (MES) in Belgavi over a border dispute between two states.

The Uddhav Thackeray-led party is a constituent in the BJP-led governments in Centre and Maharashtra.

In a released issued here, Sena MLC Neelam Gorhe said she apprised Maharashtra Revenue minister Chandrakant Patil about the issue and requested him to write to the NHRC over the lathicharge by Karnataka police.

Karnataka and Maharashtra are locked in a bitter dispute over inclusion of Belgavi and other Marathi-speaking villages into Maharashtra.

The matter is pending before the Supreme Court.

Patil, a senior BJP leader, heads a coordination committee set up by the Maharashtra government to find a solution to the dispute.

"I also requested that talks should be held with Home minister Rajnath Singh and Chief Ministers of both the states hold a meet to discuss the issue," she stated.

Gorhe said Patil has informed her that Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis would discuss this issue with his Karnataka counterpart H D Kumaraswamy Friday.

According to reports, MES workers were caned by police Thursday when they took out a "black day" procession opposing the Kannada Rajyotsava celebrations and demanded inclusion of Marathi speaking areas of Karnataka into Maharashtra.