Protests by MES and KRV on first day of winter session in Belagavi, activists detained

As the winter session of the Karnataka legislature began in the ‘city of Kunda (sweet delicacy)’ on December 8, leaders and members of Maharashtra Ekikaran Samiti (MES), who tried to hold a ‘Maha Melava’ in protest against the winter session despite not having the requisite permission, were detained. The police had not permitted the event and foiled attempts to hold it without permission.

Leaders and members of Maharashtra Ekikaran Samiti (MES) were detained by Belagavi police as they attempted to proceed towards Vaccine Depot for holding ‘Maha Melava’, on December 8, 2025.
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SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT

MES leaders Manohar Kinekar, Malojirao Ashtekar and Shubham Shelke were among those taken into custody when they were about to lead a protest march to Vaccine Depot where they had planned to hold ‘Maha Melava’ despite the police not permitting the event. They were detained near Second Railway Gate even as the protesters kept demanding inclusion of Belagavi in Maharashtra.

In a related development, a bus belonging to Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) was stopped in Kolhapur by Shiv Sena activists and stickers of ‘Jai Maharashtra’ were pasted on the vehicle in protest against denial of permission for the ‘Maha Melava’ in Belagavi. The bus was going from Haliyal towards Pune.

KRV activists held

In a related development, several members of Karnataka Rakshana Vedide, including members of both Narayana Gowda and Shivamegowda factions, were taken into preventive custody when they tried to march towards Vaccine Depot in protest against ‘Maha Melava’ of MES. The situation turned tense for some time as scores of MES activists tried to march towards the KRV activists. Police intercepted activists of both outfits and detained them.

District unit president of KRV (Narayangowda faction) Deepak Gundanakatti and Wazod Hirekaddli were among those detained.

The police had a difficult time on December 8, as members of MES and KRV held protests in various parts of the city.

Earlier, police had made elaborate security arrangements around Suvarna Soudha and other places in the run-up to the winter session and the proposed ‘Maha Melava’ of MES for which permission was not given.