Language dispute: The Karnataka-Maharashtra border has increased after the attack on KSRTC bus conductor on Kannada near Sanna Balekundari in Belagavi, Karnataka. As a result, bus services between the two states have been suspended. In some areas including Kolhapur, Shiv Sena and Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) workers stopped buses coming from Karnataka and protested.
The miscreants allegedly tied a saffron cloth on the bus and wrote ‘Jai Maharashtra’ with black ink on it. Due to these incidents, Karnataka has suspended all bus services for Maharashtra. Transport Department officials have confirmed that all KSRTC buses going to Kolhapur via Nipani, Chikkodi and Belagavi have been stopped.
120 buses run daily between Maharashtra and Karnataka
Usually 120 buses run between the two states daily. Further decision will be taken on the basis of status. Meanwhile, Maharashtra Transport Minister Pratap Sarnaik reacted to the incident. He said that buses from Maharashtra to Karnataka have also been suspended. Pro -Kannada activists allegedly attacked the Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation bus going from Bangalore to Mumbai in Chitradurga at around 9.10 pm on Friday night.
Kannada supporting activists beat up the bus driver and put an ink vessel on his face. Both Maharashtra and Karnataka governments have sought clarification from each other on such incidents and said that bus services will be suspended until the problem is resolved. Passengers of both the states are facing problems due to the postponement of bus services.
The bus is running only to the Karnataka-Maharashtra border.
Currently, the bus is running only to the Karnataka-Maharashtra border, forcing passengers to take buses outside their respective states. The public is urging the governments of both the states to intervene and resolve the matter soon. Four people, including a minor, have been arrested for attacking the KSRTC bus conductor. The bus driver lodged a complaint at the Marihala police station on Friday night.
Where did this dispute start?
According to the complaint lodged by the bus driver in the police, the attack took place over a ticket dispute in a bus running between Belagavi and Sulabavi. A minor boy and girl boarded the bus at the bus stand in Belagavi city. The girl asked for two tickets from conductor Mahadev, one of which was for a young man. The bus trip for women in Karnataka is free. So Mahadev gave a free ticket.
However, when Mahadev asked the girl a ticket for the young man traveling with him, the girl pointed to the young man. Bus conductor Mahadev then explained that the free ticket is only for women passengers and I can be suspended for giving free tickets to a young man. In response, the girl allegedly insisted on talking to Mahadev in Marathi and learning language.
When the bus reached Sunna Balekundari, allegedly about 20 people associated with the girl attacked the conductor. The situation in the border areas of Karnataka and Maharashtra is tense and officials are closely monitoring the developments. In vengeance of the attack on the bus conductor of the Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation, Kannada activists attacked the Maharashtra State Road Transport bus going from Bangalore to Mumbai in Chitradurga, assaulted his driver and put a black ink vessel on his face.
