The Goa-Karnataka feud has resurfaced

Though Goa and Karnataka have many things in common, particularly on the coastal belt as they are united by the name "Konkan Coast," frequent squabbles between them do not bode well for inter-state relations culturally, socially, economically, or politically in the federal structure.

The first tiff between them surfaced in 1979 when the Goan tourism activists threw out Kannadiga labourers from various spots in Biana, Navynagar, Majorda, and Canacona in South and Central Goa. The activists had burnt down hutments, stating that the ugly structures and slum outlook were hurting the tourism prospects of the state.

These workers had gone there to build railway infrastructure from various districts of Karnataka, mainly from Bijapur, Ballari, and Bidar. Since then, over the last 43 years, issues have always been on the burner like Mahadayi river water sharing, a uniform fishing ban, and now a new issue concerning land for the construction of Kannada Bhavan. The state government of Karnataka has asked for two acres of land in the central part of Goa.

The government had cited the reason that Goa has a formidable Kannada-speaking population and they needed an office in Goa. But the Goan activists had urged the Chief Minister of their state, Pramod Sawant, not to heed that, citing the Mahadayi river water sharing issue. Though Sawant has not replied in the negative, the Karnataka government has stepped up the demand, saying that the Kannada Bhavan will enhance the cultural and societal exchanges between the two states. Thousands of Kannadigas are contributing to the development of Goa in many ways, including its society, economy, industry, and tourism. People in old Goa (parts of Margao, Vasco, Calangute, Mapusa, Bardez, Cortalim, Candolim, Betim, and Panaji) point out that Karnataka has already done its bit to unite the Konkan coast with its advances in building a Konkani centre in Mangaluru, which is led by some of the top leaders of the Konkani language and culture.

At the same time, all former Chief Ministers of Goa including Pratap Sinh Rane, Dr Wilfred D'Souza, Alemao Churchill, and Digambar Kamat wanted Karnataka to have a cultural centre in Goa, but at the same time, they also wanted Karnataka to reciprocate.