Bus services between Karnataka and Maharashtra have been halted amid escalating tensions in Belagavi over the Kannada-Marathi language dispute, according to a PTI report citing an official on Tuesday. The conflict intensified after a group allegedly attacked a Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) bus conductor and driver for not speaking Marathi to a passenger. The passenger, a minor girl, also accused the conductor of misbehavior, further fueling the controversy.
The situation spiraled as crews from both states’ buses clashed over linguistic pride, reflecting deep-seated language tensions in Karnataka’s border areas, home to significant Marathi and Kannada-speaking communities. A senior official from the North West Karnataka Road Transport Corporation (NWKRTC) told PTI, “We’ve suspended services to Maharashtra since yesterday, and the Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) has also stopped buses to Karnataka.”
In response, the Karnataka Rakshana Vedike (KRV), led by Narayana Gowda, called for a ‘Belagavi Chalo’ protest on Tuesday, planning a march and public meeting. Karnataka ministers have urged calm amid the unrest, but Transport Minister Ramalinga Reddy criticized Maharashtra for failing to act against those attacking KSRTC buses. Reddy visited the assaulted conductor, Mahadevappa Hukkeri, in Belagavi to show support.
On Monday, Karnataka Home Minister G Parameshwara called for restraint, noting the recurring linguistic friction near the Maharashtra border. “We must proceed cautiously—this applies to both states to prevent escalation,” he said, pressing Maharashtra to address the culprits. Union Minister HD Kumaraswamy slammed the Karnataka government, blaming Chief Minister Siddaramaiah for the chaos in Belagavi. Recalling his tenure as chief minister in 2006-07, he said, “I met PM Manmohan Singh to thwart Maharashtra’s annexation bid, made Belagavi the second capital, and laid the Suvarna Vidhana Soudha’s foundation. Now, it’s a mess under this regime.”
BJP Karnataka chief BY Vijayendra also called on both state governments to restore order in the troubled region.
