Nation-building should be a harmonious process, not based on the perceived hierarchical superiority of the past.
Bengaluru: Police stand guard in front of Krantiveer Sangoli Rayanna statue during a protest against the vandalisation of Rayanna statue in Belagavi. PTI
Interstate disputes are not new to India. However, in recent times, the nature of incentives has progressively moved towards shallow political gains. The state of Karnataka has often been a victim of this atavistic progression — sometimes from fringe groups in Tamil Nadu and more recently, from manufactured narratives of chauvinist groups in Maharashtra. For a historical perspective on the issue, here is an excerpt from The Mahajan Commission report of 1966:
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Maharashtra’s claim for Belgaum is of recent origin. Though tabled in Parliament, Maharashtra MPs, especially from the treasury benches, did not vote against the amendment of Belgaum being part of their state. Belgaum is a cosmopolitan city. In 1920, when the AICC session was held in Belgaum, not a single leader from Maharashtra including NC Kelkar demanded that it be part of that state. Geographically, Kannada areas surround the city of Belgaum on three sides and by a smattering of villages belonging to Maharashtra on the fourth. Reorganisation will cause extreme hardship. Status quo should be maintained. From the records of rights of Belgaum city, it is seen that a majority of lands belong to Kannadigas. All the original records in the offices of the mamlatdar and collector are in Kannada. “On the appreciation of the whole material and assessing it objectively, I have reached the conclusion that I cannot recommend the inclusion of Belgaum city in the state of Maharashtra.”
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The Mahajan Commission was formed by the Government of India in 1966 to try and resolve the border dispute between Maharashtra and Karnataka, including the present-day district of Belagavi. The government of Maharashtra reneged on its public promise of abiding by the recommendation of the Commission, by rejecting the results. The current political leadership in Maharashtra has tried a gamut of tricks to destabilise the status of the border district of Belagavi.
The latest addition to this repertoire is the burning of the Kannada flag in Kolhapur, Maharashtra, allegedly by the workers of Shiv Sena and Maharashtra Ekikaran Samiti (MES). Following the burning of the flag, a series of statues were defaced in Belagavi and Bengaluru including that of Sangolli Rayanna (freedom fighter) and Shivaji. A censure motion was moved in the state Assembly of Karnataka, and a brilliant discussion ensued on dealing with the consistent criminal acts of fringe groups against symbols of Kannada pride.
The overwhelming response in Karnataka came from across the party spectrum. As reflected in the Assembly debates, clearly burning of the Kannada flag has been perceived to be an insult to Kannada society. In light of this, I have three important points to raise.
First, Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai promised to book the culprits in defacing statutes under the sedition law and the Goonda Act. The problem with this line of action is that it targets only individuals. It is alleged that MES as an organisation is perhaps the lynchpin behind most of these vandalism incidents in border districts. The entire existence of this entity is based on perverse political maneuvers to treacherously integrate the theBelagavi district with Maharashtra.
Many members, including the Leader of the Opposition in Karnataka, former chief minister Siddaramiah wondered if they can take “legal” action against MES and its organizational machinery. In this regard, a prudent idea would be to make amendments to The Karnataka Prevention Of Dangerous Activities Of Bootleggers, Drug-Offenders, Gamblers, Goondas, [Immoral Traffic Offenders, Slum-Grabbers And Video Or Audio Pirates] Act, 1985 otherwise known as The Goonda Act.
Since the flag symbolizes Kannada and Karnataka, the amendments should include language as a criterion — clearly stating sections of committing crimes against Kannada society and symbols. Repeat offenders and their organizations can be banned in the style of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) but adjusted to the state level. By adding language as a criterion to the Goonda Act, the state can prevent regular violent acts within the state of Karnataka. An appointed committee or the Law Commission of Karnataka can look into the legalities of the amends.
Second, the above may help ameliorate the attacks within the state. But what about the incendiary acts committed outside the state? An excellent suggestion was made by a member of the Assembly, Pandappa Rajeev: he recommended the use of Modus Operandi Bureau (MOB), which was mainly formed to address the Inter-State Criminals and Gangs. If MES is found guilty, the government of Karnataka must strive to get it added to Modus Operandi Bureau under the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) thereby forcing the Maharashtra government to act on these culprits. A similar agreement exists between Haryana and Punjab. By agreeing to this, Maharashtra can signal goodwill towards Karnataka.
Third, all of this could have been dealt with sternly if the Karnataka flag was recognized officially across India. The Kannada Development Authority (KDA) has been pursuing this demand for a few decades now. In 2018, the Siddaramiah government sent a proposal to the Union government for the Karnataka flag to be included in the schedule of the Emblems and Names (Prevention of Misuse) Act, 1950. The whole exercise was a slugfest between the two main parties since it came on the heels of the assembly elections. Unfortunately, in August 2019 the proposal was dropped by the government. Based on the emotions in the assembly, it seems like the time has come to build consensus on the flag issue and get it officially sanctioned. This would then make the burning of the Kannada flag a criminal act across the country based on the Emblems and Names Act.
In relation to other states, Karnataka has an indisputable record of accommodating immigrants from other states. This brand of liberalism combined with Kannada Conservatism has propelled Bengaluru and the rest of Karnataka towards immense growth. If this aspect of Kannada society is not defended, recognised, and celebrated, it can give way to a strong sense of resentment. Maybe we are seeing a change in the winds already. Before this wind turns into a storm, some decisive steps must be taken. Recently the BJP government in Karnataka generously announced the formation of the Maratha Development Corporation. Nation-building should be a harmonious process, not based on the perceived hierarchical superiority of the past. It is time that other states learn from this, and reciprocate.
Kishen Shastry is pursuing a Ph.D. in Economics at the University of Cambridge. Previously he has studied at The Graduate Institute Geneva, and Ashoka University. He is also a recipient of the Adam Smith Fellowship at the Mercatus Centre in George Mason University. Views expressed are personal.