MES observes black day in Belagavi

MES members taking out a protest rally as part of black day marking Rajyotsava in Belagavi on Sunday.

Members of Maharashtra Ekikaran Samiti observed a black day in Belagavi on Sunday to oppose the merger of Marathi speaking areas with Karnataka.

They took out a rally from Dharmavir Sambhaji Garden. The protestors wore black dress, armbands and carried saffron flags and placards.

The procession moved through the city’s main roads and concluded at the Maratha Mandir. Senior MES leaders spoke at a public meeting a later.

The protestors raised slogans in Marathi, saying: “We demand a United Maharashtra that includes Belgaum, Karwar, Nipani, Bidar and Bhalki”, “Belgaum is our rightful claim—it belongs to no one else” and “Who says they won’t give it to us? We shall take it!”.

“They said that during the linguistic reorganization of States in the 1950s, Belagavi and other surrounding areas were forcibly integrated into Karnataka, despite a large Marathi-speaking majority living here. For over seven decades, we have been opposing the fact that the border regions were unjustly incorporated into Karnataka. The Marathi populace here feels that it does not belong here. They have been expressing their persistent desire to join Maharashtra, they said.

Although the police and the district administration denied permission for the protest march, the MES proceeded to observe the black day and organised the march.