Mumbai: When Kannadigas were having curds in Belgaum, celebrating World Kannada Convention, the Maratha neighbour Bal Thackeray has pelted a stone into the curds, by writing a vicious editorial in ‘Saamna’ his daily paper, against Kannadigas.
While admitting that Marathi and Kannada languages were like twin sisters and wishing the VK Convention “well”, he accused Karnataka Govt., of deliberately choosing the venue in Belkgaum for speech-making and shows on the borders. He charged in his article in ‘Saamna’ (confrontation) that Karnataka policed provoked and crushed the Marathi speakers in the city. He added that the objective of the World meet was not to promote Kannada language, as he saw it.
Referring to Aishwarya Rai’s presence in Belgaum as a guest of honour, Balasaheb wrote that he had no quarrel with her, but she should attend it as a Maharashtrian and offer sympathies to those Marathis taking blows during the mega show. He thought film artistes go to such events with a “deal” on head not with a sense of social duty. He reminded the Karnataka Govt, Belgaum had a sizable Marathi population and their repression was not in good taste. Bal Thackeray’s editorial in Saaman is always popular, and followed by readers with a keen interest. He asked Karnataka politicians not to provoke Maharashtrians in Belgaum anymore.
There was no immediate response from Kannada rulers on Balasaheb’s remarks.