(From the Achives, May 4) Mysore’s stand on border dispute

Bangalore, May 3: The Minister in-charge of border affairs in Mysore, Mr. K. H. Patil said here to-day that there was no question of the State deviating from its stand in regard to the Mysore-Maharashtra (and Kerala) border dispute. This, at any rate, was the position “uptil now”, he said. Mr. Patil, who was replying to questions by pressmen in recent developments on the border issue, said that not only himself but the entire Mysore State “stood by the Mahajan Commission report”. The (previous) State Assembly had passed a resolution to that effect, he said, and asked: “How can I go against the resolution of the Assembly?” Pressmen had drawn his attention to reports that the Centre had revived its original proposal to bifurcate Belgaum as a solution to the Mysore-Maharashtra border dispute and that K. C. Pant, Union Minister of State for Home, had sounded the Chief Minister on that point during his recent visit to Bangalore. Mr. Patil denied knowledge of the suggestion for bifurcation of Belgaum and said that he was not aware of what discussions the Union Minister had with the Mysore Chief Minister. When Parliament was seized of the matter, what comment could he make on the border issue, he asked.