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Debate over: Belgaum chooses its state: CNN IBN Poll

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By editor

Most people in Belgaum want to remain with Karnataka and many of them are not even aware of Maharashtra’s demand that Marathi-speaking parts of the district be transferred to it.

This is the finding of a pre-poll survey conducted by CNN-IBN, Deccan Herald and the Centre for Study of Developing Societies (CSDS). The two states have been fighting over Belgaum since 1956 when the district was made a part of Karnataka with the passage of the States Reorganisation Act.

Only 41 per cent of the total respondents seemed to have any knowledge about Maharashtra’s demand for merging Marathi-speaking areas in Belgaum with Maharashtra—an indication perhaps that the linguistic divide has taken a backseat in Karnataka.

The pre-poll survey found that out of the 41 per cent respondents who knew about the Belgaum debate an overwhelming 58 per cent thought Maharashtra’s demand for Belgaum was unjustified. Only 31 per cent felt otherwise.

Belgaum has been an issue in all elections but this time when it goes to polls in the third and final phase of voting on May 22 parties would know what its people want.

44 thoughts on “Debate over: Belgaum chooses its state: CNN IBN Poll”

  1. its a nice thing to see the national news channels highlighting Belgaum’s issue. i have been following ndtv and cnn-ibn on the Belgaum issue. while cnn-ibn was keen on showing the actual problems in and around the city, ndtv on the other hand is keen on showing that Belgaum is more of maharastra than karnataka. two different national news channels speaking of the same issue but highlighting in two different ways. Don’t they understand, what they show, the whole country watches and understands it. and they get a different prospective to the issue.
    the way ndtv has shown it, it gives an impression to the country the whole of belgaum citizens are willing to go to maharastra. which is not true. today things in belgaum have changed. people are more keen on development than on this border dispute. we have suffered a lot because of this border dispute. lets hope the new government changes the situation like the Kumarswamy government tried to change.
    jai hind !

    Reply
  2. Let’s not sugar coat anything here. The real problem is the utter disregard of karnatak government for the democratic process to further their self serving interests, i.e. dissolving Mr. Vijay More’s Corporation and taking matters in their own hands. The real problem is the “kannad sakti” that is being shoved down our throats by chauvinists goons like KRV. The real problem is the fact the boards on business establishments, buses, street signs etc. are being written only in kannada, despite the presence of a majority Marathi population. Even greater problem is the fact the you see better roads/sanitation and no powercuts in Mahantesh Nagar while the likes of Tilakwadi/Nanawadi get the opposite.

    The karnatak government has run a program of systematically changing the linguistic/demographic make-up of Belgaum since 1986, which is obvious with the number of non-native kannadis settling in Belgaum and getting preference of plots under the BUDA scheme.

    Turning a blind eye does’nt make the problems disapper.

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  3. CNN has given false picture. Majority of people in Belgaum are marathi speaking. In last 15 – 18 years Karnataka Govt has systamatically planned the grabing of poor farmers land in the name of BUDA and started selling plots to only kannada speaking outsiders. Infact BUDA has not given proper compensation to farmers. Karnataka govt is like Mongal Badshah always sucking the blood of poor people in this disputed area by giving jobs to only kannad people in govt as well as private sector. this has made marathi people to get settled at outside karnataka or be jobless. BUDA was suppossed to get it abolished in 2005, but to increase the majority of outsiders kannad residents, the term is again extened.

    Please be fair in poll and show the factual picture to the world. listen to poor farmers in surrounding village places, when they come to tahsildar office for getting the documents, where these are marathi farmers getting their document by paying bribe to officers and that too it is given in purely in kannada for illiterte marathi, which they are unable to understand.

    One more thing to reteirate that Karnataka govt officers are most corrupted in the world and the corruption in Belgaum got increased tremondously after 1985. Earlier when marathi speaking people were in govt offices, they never use to ask for any bribe, they were much satisfied when someone gives the gift on their own, but now for getting death certificate also people have to pay bribe (imagine for getting normal workdone).

    GOD will definitely punish these culprits and very soon Lokshahi will be established once belgaum gets merged into Maharashtra.

    Reply
    • Don't think that Belagaum will merge to Maharastra. We kannadigas will not allow at any cost. If it happens, we will not allow any out siders to stay in our soil. We will start dig on their graves with burning. We don't care our lives. We already told to use the petrol from all our bunks and burn all the bastards or mother fuckers who were staying in our soil and against for that.

      Reply
    • Original kannada dynasty extended upto Narmada river….the present maharastra state is systematic encroachment of kannada region…..Look at Ajantha & ellora ..u can find kannada carvings….
      Pandarapur vithala Idol originates from Vijayanagar…….

      Reply
  4. Yes majority of the people of Belgaum want to remain in karnataka, Govt of karnataka dissloved Vijay more’s corporation because his duty was to look after the Civics problems & development of the city, Not to decide border disputes.
    In belgaum the Marathi people constitute only 33% & they have unity as all belong to one caste, Maratha, so they are winning the elections easily, while on the other hand kannadigas are belongs different castes like Lingayat, Brahmin,Jain, Kurbar & muslims etc, During the elections their votes will be divided into different national parties.
    Jai Hind,
    Jai Karnataka

    Reply
  5. Hi

    Please don’t show the incorrect information on TV channels. The CNN-IBN may visited only few peoples and mostly only kannada peoples.

    The actual picture you can see when you enter belgaum. The majority is Marathi speaking peoples and not kannada.

    There is strictness to speak in kannada, learn in kannada, the shops boarding’s are to be named in kannada, for rural areas (which are Marathi villages) bus boards are in kannada. The belgao name change to belgavi….Its useless..

    It shows how Karnataka govt looks it’s district. If the people are not ready to follow these rectrictions then why these rules are applied on them?

    As per me the belgaum is better than bangalore but still no developments…

    What is Karnataka govt doing from 50 years?

    Jai Hind

    Reply
  6. Real Fact is –

    Visit Solapur, Akkalkot, Kolhapur, Miraj, part of Latur, Osmanabad, Parli, even in Pune/Mumbai you mad people will see the presence and dominance of LINGAYATS and kannada speaking population. Yet they don’t create problem to anybody. Leaving and flourishing peacefully. In solapur you find once 2 schools for kannada medium and in akkalkot might be 2 more. Compare with Belgavi’s Marathi school count. And ask CNN or any other survey agency to do the survey based on population, their share of business, their land holding, literacy rate, criminal background, earlier history-geography relevance for the area to be with similar district from within/either state. No. Schools in other districts, people in govt. jobs (teacher’s too). You will never come up with anymore demands after looking the results.

    Even Marathi speaking population is not a wholesome Maratha only – they also form from other communities. And as far as equility is concerned ask for swaping Solapur, Akkalkot, Miraj, Omarga, part of Latur to Karnataka in exchange of Marathi speaking portion to Maharashtra.

    You get exposed. Ask Vilasrao to contest from Latur, abusing Lingayat’s and get him elected (he lost once for this mistake).

    Sharad Pawar is not supporting this issue anymore, he mentioned that this border issue is no-relevance for today’s situation, as every other multi-language speaking part of indian states want the pie as per their ill-motives.

    So better concentrate on work and learn the Local State Language to get Govt. Jobs, else who stopped to do business and private jobs. Feed you family, leave for 60-70 years and die.

    That’s all.

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  7. It’s good to have difference of opinion… we have to respect every individual’s opinions…

    But where are we heading towards, a bleak future or dismay. There is no point fighting amongst us for issues such as border, communities, caste and discrimination. Firstly let’s respect each other not as a Maratha or a Kannadiga but as a human being. The world is looking forward towards our nation to bail out the super economies from the financial crisis, we are the next big thing, demographically our economy is forecasted to out-beat nations like the US, UK, Russia, China and Japan in the next decade, and what are we up-to; cock fighting and pointing fingers at each other. Does it by any chance make difference if Belgaum is in Maharashtra jurisdiction or Karnataka; at the end its in India and it’s on this earth.

    I am not trying to be a philosopher; but we claim that India is a country where there is unity in diversity and if this is unity; we better hide our face from ourselves; Singapore is a classic example for a country with diverse cultures making it big in the world stance. A nation which we can look up to and learn lessons of development and growth. Folks we live in a multicultural society; discrimination based on caste; color; linguistics is past. When we talk about development, development begins from us, when we change our perspective about such issues and look into it on a macro level; there is no problem either. It’s just an illusion created in our minds and ego issues; the day we shed our egos and start respecting every individual we will have better place to live!

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  8. Thank you CNN and IBN for your justified poll,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

    people are happy to have such a great survey and this poll here,,,,,,,,,
    We know what happened to the Star News channel when they broadcast a faulty information couple of years ago,,,,,,,,,,,

    some one wrote above that Bus boards are in kannada, Belagao changed to Belagavi. We are forced to speak in kannada, shop boards are changing to kannada etc,,, yes I agree for that but i dont say We dont need it, May be that person is the only One who dont need all this but We need it, May be he is not satisfied by that but We are satisfied and Happy, He is alone not a Belgaumite to express only his words, We are here to support KARNATAKA Government all the time………… Whatever karnataka Government is doing is appreciated.

    Those who are not ready accept Kannada and Karnataka goverments rule then leave the state n go somewhere else are step back to your motherland so called maharashtra, If GOD wanna punish us then he will surely do that, else results will be out with you marathis very soon,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

    Its karnataka thats why you are still here, we have mercy,love n care for all Indians,,,,,,,,, if u would have done the same mistake in some other state then till now every one of these marathis would have hit n made run out of the border…………… appreciate what you have n learn to respect it,,,,, Being a INDIAN it doesnt suit one to fight like internal border issues,,,,,,,

    Men common , Stop fighting now onwords, Lets join HANDS together to Build a better BELGAUM,,,,,,,,,,,
    please please dont fight n make issues or Border everyday,,,,,,,,,

    This BLOG is meant for communication or to make some improvement to our city,,,,,,,,Everyday dont keep firing n fighting here,,,,,,,

    Lets contribute towards,,,,,,,,,, BETTER BELGAUM

    Reply
  9. Fantastic to read abt such issues , it really shows that this issues ia as old as the MES Party and its leaders . Instead of sittig on one damn issue which effectively has ruined Belgaum its time they think abt something constructive & to all those proud suupoters of this cause JUST GIVE US A BREAK.

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  10. The news channel has given false report… its 80% people in belgaon speak marathi, every marathimanoos is aware of the issue, and we want to be merged with maharashtra, coz karnataka government does not has the capabilities of developing it, and they have the fear of loosing belgaon , so only they are doing natak of 2nd capital, changing name, hosting assembly… hahahahahah hahahahahah… this is not going to benifit u , dont waste money in doing all these things, ur fear of loosing belgaon is nearing u soon… belgaon will soon be in maharashtra and dat time just c the kind of development happens in belgaon….
    JAI MAHARASHTRA

    Reply
    • Dear friend marathi peoples r settled in many parts of k’taka & in other states as well it does not mean that those places should be merged with maharastra meanwhile kannada speaking peoples r living in many parts of MH.is it possible to merge there places with k’taka?,In mumbai itself majority of the population r non marathi’s should it be made UT? Common peoples of both states should not get harmed thats my wish nonsense politicians r taking this issue for the votes plz do not give much heed to these rubbish activities.
      Jai bharat.
      Jai hind.

      Reply
  11. Pl glorifie the Border issue. I agree that prior to 60’s there was Marathi schools only due to which people without 2nd thought have learnt Marathi and Most of them are famous businessmen,industrialists and as neighbouring areas near to Kolhapur dist, Goa have their daughters,sons, in laws and there is a homely relation in these houses. Border issue is only for politicians/ few Leaders. Otherwise Belgaum is cool place with good weather,cosmo style,lovers of peace are not aggressive. So live and let live. But there is need to settle the matter once for all as it will lead to prosperity otherwise remains old Belgaum or Venugram only.

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  12. Again the karnataka ganernment plays a game by building new munipal corporation house for the orange flag which was hosted in old corporation and they are not allowing to host at new building. JAI MAHARASTRA JAI HIND

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  13. My dear Balagaavi Marathi-Maanus,
    The Fort at the entrance of the City tells the History, that clearly this land belongs to Kannnada. Only during the British ruling it was part of Mumbai State. But since 200BC it was ruled by Kannnada Kingdoms. Even most part of the present maharashtra was belonged to Kannada Kingdomes(Kaveriyind Maa Godaavari-varege haridirpada Kannada Naadu).

    Learn by our own Kannada Mother tongue people leaving largely in Solapur, Juth, Akkalkote, even Pune-Mumbai, learnt Marathi and living happily. If they all start asking to mearge those parts to Karnataka, what will remain with Maharashtra?

    Actually, this is all because of Karnatak Government. There are more than 50 Marathi medium schools in Belgaum. But Maharashtra Govt. treated step motherly treatment to Kannada people in Maharashtra. They hardly have few Kannada schools, no teacher, no proper building, no books. In this condition Kannada people in Maharashtra forcebly made to learn Marathi. The same situation is not there in Karnataka. Inspite having all this facility, you marathi people are fishing in plate in which you eat. If Karnatak Government would have done the same thing what Maharashtra done since 1956, you, would probably forgotten that you are Marathi. But due to the Karnatak Government’s decision not to take revange on poor people, you all should thank to Karnatak Government.

    If you think that having 50 Marathi schoold in Belagaavi, means that Marathi students are more. Most of the students have his name in atleast three-four schools. So that fake admissions are made, and more grants(in the form of Schoold building, teacher) is rushing from Government. Karnataka Government is all know this, but still they are not taking any proper solution for this, just ignoring this as “Barking Dog never Bite”. But once this taken seriously, the real picture will come.

    To tell there are so many things. So Dear Marathi people, just forget the issue, and be happy here.

    This is the main AGENDA only to MES, which want to keep this live to Election. What the earlier elected MLAs doing just think. They all become millaniors, and all are very friendly with Karnatak Government and earning. But only the poor people is suffering here. So don’t believe the leaders. Just think why Sharad Pawar like biggees not interested in this issue?

    THINK THE REAL ISSUE. SO THAT THE CITY CAN IMPROVE, AND WILL HAVE GOOD INFRASTRUCTURE.

    Reply
  14. “Man can not live on braed alone.” Said Jesus. Besides bread man needs independence, freedom to live with his family and his society, he wants to preserve his language and culture and so many things that are essentials for his own progress. So it is the birthright of every marathi to demand to go to his own people and live with them. When you discuss whether belagum belongs to karnataka or Maharashtra one should go back to 1956.

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  15. WAKE UP KANNADA PEOPLE FROM SOUTH SOLAPUR.AKKALKOT,JATH.WE SHOULD SPEAK LOCAL LANGUAGE BUT SHOULD NOT FORGET KANNADA LANGUAGE AND TRADITION.SEND YOR CHILDREN TO KANNADA SCHOOL.WHEN MARATHI PEOPLE IN BELGAUM LOVE MARATHI THEN WHY WE SHOULD FORGET OUR MOTHER TONGUE LANGUAGE.I DEMAND THAT THERE SHOULD BE MORE KANNADA SCHOOLS.ALSO,THE BOARDS SHOULD BE WRITTEN IN BOTH(KANNADA & MARATHI) LANGUAGES OR ELSE EXCHANGE AKKALKOT,SOUTH SOLAPUR FOR BELGAUM.

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  16. DONT MAKE FOOL PEOPLES ITS BIG HILARIOUS THING THAT NATIONAL NEWS CHANNEL LIKE CNN IBN HAD MADE SUCH A BIG MISTAKE INTERVIEWING TO JUST FEW KANADI PEOPLE AND SAYING BELGAUM AS APART OF KARNATAKA ITS TOTALLY WRONG ABOUT 78% WANT TO JOIN TO MAHARASHTRA
    JAY MAHARASHTRA

    Reply
  17. THE SOUTH INDIAN SPEAKING AREAS OF MAHARASHTRA, ORISSA , MADHYA PRADESH SHOULD BE MERGED INTO SOUTH INDIAN AREAS SOUTH INDIAN PEOPLE SHOULD FIGHT FOR THERE RIGHTS CAPTURE MORE TERITORY JUST LIKE THE GREAT RAJA CHOLA OF CHOLA DYNASTY

    Reply
  18. NOT ONLY SOUTH INDIAN SPEAKING AREAS BUT ALSO MALAYSIS , SINGAPORE , SOUTH AFRICA AND OTHER COUNTRIES WHERE SOUTH INDIAN BROTHERS ARE IN SUBSTANTIAL NUMBERS SHOULD BE MERGED INTO GREATER SOUTH INDIA AND A GREATER INDIA AND SOUTH INDIAN HINDU CULTURE SHOULD SPREAD THROUGHOUT THE WORLD

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  19. respected sir majority of muslims in solapur district speak kannada and urdu the muslim population want to merge ssolapur district with karnataka

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  20. Excerpts from the Mahajan committee report regarding rejection of Maharashtra’s claim over Belgaum:[8]
    “ 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 N C 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 amlatdar 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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  21. Belgaum historically has been a part of the Kannada region and has seen many such dynasties ruling over it. But the scenario in the region changed in 18th century as in other parts of India. This was the period which saw the expansion of the Maratha empire under the Peshwas which culminated in realising the famous saying of “Attock to Cuttack”. Hence a large chunk of Karnataka region formed a part of the then Maratha empire and was called the “Southern Maratha Country” (most of North Karnataka). By the time the British came to power, this region was dotted by the remnants of Maratha empire ruling over their jagirs and states. But the language of the land essentially remained Kannada. This has been summed up by historian and civil servant of the Bombay presidency John Faithfull Fleet in his book The Dynasties of the Kanarese Districts of the Bombay Presidency (1894), which forms a part of the Gazetteer of the Bombay Presidency (Vol-1, Part-II, Book-III).[4] The first page of the book explains the ground realities of the time, which goes as,
    “ In defining the limits of the Kanarese language, on the west and north may be designated “by a line drawn from Sadashivgad (Karwar), to the westward of Belgaum, Hukkeri through Kagal and Kurundwad, passing between ‘Keligaon’ and ‘Pandegaon’ through Brahmapuri on Bhima and Sholapur and thence east, to the neighbourhood of Bidar. This however wrongly excludes Kolhapur. As for Sholapur which now officially counts as a Marathi District, Kanarese is still, to a great extent the vernacular of south east corner of it. And there are Kanarese inscriptions of the Western Chalukyas, Kalachurya and Devagiri Yadavas of the twelfth and thirteenth centuries and some later ones, at Sholapur itself, and at Kudal and Mohol in that district, and at Karajgi, Kudal, and Tadwal in the Akalkot state.

    …In official language the four recognised Kanarese districts of this presidency viz. Belgaum, Bijapur and Dharwar collectorates together with the Kolhapur, Miraj and other Native states called the “Southern Maratha Country”. A more misleading appellation, however it originated, could not well have been devised. It is true that, in one of the earliest inscriptions of Pulakesin II, this part of the country is included in what was known then and even many centuries before his time as Maharashtra. But this term meaning literally “the great country”, does not inherently imply any of the racial and linguistic peculiarities which are now naturally attached to the terms ‘Maratha’ and ‘Marathi’, derived from it. In the whole area of so-called Southern Maratha country, not a single Marathi inscription has been discovered, of a greater age than two or three centuries. With the exception that two Prakrit records have been obtained at Banawasi in North Kanara and ‘Malavalli’ in Mysore, and that a few Prakrit words occur here and there in other records, the inscriptions are all either in pure Sanskrit or pure Kanarese, or in the two languages combined. This fact speaks of itself, as to what the vernacular of the country was in early times. In the present day, the people and the language of British districts are essentially Kanarese; and the Kanarese people and language have been displaced, to a certain extent, by the Marathi people and language in the Native States, only because those States were established by the aggressions of the Marathas from the north, whose local influence proved to be greater than that of the native rulers whom they dispossessed. Even in the Native States, and in Marathi official correspondence, the Political Agent at Kolhapur is, to the present day always addressed as the Political Agent, not of the “Dakshina Maharasthra” or “Southern Maratha Country, but of the “Karavira Ilakha and the Karnataka Prant ”

    Reply
    • Are you from Belgaum.
      History was history only that much history u known.
      Belgaum was a part of maharshtra before 1957 from 1700. Here was MARATHA kingdome. And from 300 years speking languege of belgaum people is marathi . Belgaum has a historically events which shows that it is a part of maharashtra . Here is also 72 % speaking population is Marathi as well as Belgaum name before Engraj that is Belgaon now also all comonly it is known as belgaon in marathi
      Just once come and see what culture they have and then said.
      When u know belgaum Maratha history really u also mad for maratha and marathi.
      First clearify than varify than speak and wright. One Belgaum Boy

      Reply
      • Sollapur ,Akkalakote ,Jath belongs to Karnataka .And one thing u dont know about Sollapur mahanagar palike building owner was Shri Mallapppa warad he was Kannadiga and sollapur aradhya daiva shri siddarameshwara was great kannada vachanakar u dont know about this things and u argued about belagavi belongs to Mh hahahaha

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  22. It is only a sentimental issue for them (MES). Because of those sentiments and the language sentiments, they cannot claim the territory. There are many such bilingual cities in India. Making changes in the borders of the states is never going to be an easy thing because more claims may arise in the future and this is a threat to our national integration.

    Reply
    • dear all,

      let us look at reality,
      when states boundry were drawn it was based on majority population which only means substantial people of bordering language lies in it.

      this is true in every state,and most countries also. perefct division on basis of language, religion, tribes is impossible and there is no point in fighting over it,it is never ending.
      we should accept the reality and live without confusion and tension. speak state language in public and mother tongue in home.

      Reply
  23. It is better to belgaum goes to maharshtra .in belgaum 72 % speaking population is MARATHI.
    That is everybody has a equel right .
    Belgaum people wants maharashtra govt in belgaum as well as Bidar Bhalaki and Karwar including 865 village

    Reply
  24. India is Democratic country.but it is unjustice in the Belgaum with belgaum marathi people . so it is our duty to belgaum belongs maharashtra for developement purpose as well as for protection and develop marathi language and for employment purpose. They want Belgaum belongs from 1957

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  25. I am from Belgaum I seen Belgaum people are culturally as well as behaviour very good . in that they have a very close with Maharashtra culture . They celebrate Ganeah chaturthy like Maharashtra for 11 days . As well as Shivjayanti very big at night .as well as Durga Mata doud , here also That Maratha Light Infrentry central which shows that Maratha culture . And who speak Marathi that all are maratha . and they wants Belgaum belongs to Maharashtra.

    Reply
  26. Who are Belgaum people they really known about Belgaum . Who r not known regarding Belgaum they have not right to wright. Belgaum people wants a maharashtra state .
    Subject over from 1957

    Reply

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