MES observes Black Day in Belagavi on Rajyotsava

Maharashtra Ekikaran Samiti (MES) members organised a procession as part of its Black Day observation on Karnataka Rajyotsava in Belagavi on November 1.

Some activists gathered at Dharmaveer Sambhaji Maidan in the old city. They wore black dresses and black caps and shouted slogans against the Karnataka government for what they called mandatory Kannada imposition in Marathi speaking areas.

They took out a cycle rally and padayatra from the Maidan to Maratha Mangal Karyalaya, passing through Bhatakande Nagar, Fort Road, Patil Galli, Madhav Road, Hemu Kalyani Chowk, and Shani Mandir Circle. They shouted slogans of a united Maharashtra, including Marathi-speaking areas in Karnataka, including Belagavi, Bidar, Bhalki, and Nippani. Leaders like Manohar Kinekar, Maloji Ashtekar, Deepak Dalvi and others were present.

The district police blocked a Shiv Sena leader from Maharashtra who was trying to enter through the Belagavi border. Kolhapur MP Dairasheel Mane and Shiv Sena leader Vijay Devaney were stopped at the Kuganoli check post in Nippani taluk. Belagavi Deputy Commissioner Mohammad Roshan had issued orders prohibiting their entry into Belagavi district.

The police officers informed them about the prohibitory orders against them and that they were enforcing them. They warned against trying to enter the district by other routes. The leaders, however, did not agree initially. They argued with the police for some time, before returning to their towns in their vehicles.

Meanwhile, a police inspector landed in a controversy taking a selfie photograph with a MES leader during the procession. J.M. Kalimirchi, circle police inspector, allegedly took a selfie with MES youth wing leader Shubham Shelke, who is facing criminal charges. Police sources claimed that the officer had been asked by senior officers to trace, find, and take a picture of himself with Shubham Shelke, who had been absconding after facing some criminal charges. Police commissioner Borase Bhushan Gulabrao said the matter would be looked into.

Kannada organisations criticised the State government’s decision to award the Karnataka Rajyotsava award to Rajashree Nagaraju (Halagekar), chairperson of Martha Mandal Education Society (MMES). Ashok Chandaragi, convenor of the central committee of Kannada organisations, said that the MMES had supported anti-Kannada and pro-MES activities in the past, the society did not teach Kannada or implement Kannada in its administration and that its office bearers did not deserve a Rajyotsava award.