Belagavi mayor under pressure to pass ‘anti-state’ resolution

BELAGAVI: Councilors of the ruling Maharashtra Ekikaran Samiti (MES) as well as mayor Kiran Saynak have come under immense pressure of passing an anti-state resolution in the council meeting of the Belagavi City Corporation (BCC).
The top brass of the organization has written a letter to the mayor to table a resolution urging the migration of Belagavi city into the state of Maharashtra.The resolution has to be passed, the letter suggests. With clear directions by party leaders, the mayor and councillors are truly perplexed.
Deepak Dalavi, city president of MES and chief secretary Maloji Asthekar have written the letter on Tuesday to the mayor asking him to pass the resolution, saying it’s an existential question for the organization. The mayor has also been asked to display his commitment towards the principles of the organization. Leaders in the letter have lamented not passing of the resolution, popularly known as ‘Seema Tharav’, despite getting a mandate in the elections of 2013. A similar letter has also been sent to the leader of the ruling group advocate Pandari Parab.
After concluding the Black Day programme observed by MES on November 1, parallel to the Karnataka Rajyothsav, office bearers of MES met its mentor Prof. ND Patil, former union minister and raised the issue of passing ‘Seema Tharav’. On this occasion, advocate Pandari Parab assured he would consider the issue if the leaders instructed him likewise. Following this, Prof Patil directed office bearers to hold a meeting and pass on the decision to the mayor in writing.
This development unfolded after mayor Kiran Saynak and deputy mayor Meena Vaz remained absent on the Black Day programme. On November 1, the mayor’s cell phone was not reachable throughout the day. On the second day, the mayor surfaced in the BCC office and held a meeting with the officials. Saynak is the first MES mayor who did not participate in the Black Day programme, which hurt the sentiments of MES activists.
BCC superseded thrice for passing anti-state resolutions:
Karnataka government superseded the Belagavi City Council three times in its history for passing ‘anti-state’ decisions. In 2011, Sadananda Gowda government dissolved the council headed by mayor Vandana Belgundakar. In 2005, Dharam Singh government dissolved the Vijay More-led council while the Devraj Urs government superseded it for indulging in ‘anti-state’ activities in 1974.