KOLHAPUR: Karnataka police Monday stopped Sena (UBT) representatives at the state's boundary with Maharashtra from entering Belagavi to attend the annual Marathi conclave.
Karnataka govt had banned the Maharashtra Ekikaran Samiti's Marathi conclave in Belagavi this year coinciding with the beginning of the Karnataka assembly's winter session. It also prohibited politicians from Maharashtra from attending the event.
Like every year, the Samiti invited prominent Maharashtra politicians, such as Shiv Sena president Eknath Shinde, NCP chief Ajit Pawar, NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar, Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray, and BJP state chief Chandrashekhar Bawankule, for this year's event as well.
Sena (UBT) accepted the Samiti's invitation and its representatives from Kolhapur started a march to Belagavi amid heavy police presence - both from Maharashtra and Karnataka - at the inter-state boundary.
In protest, Sena (UBT)’s representatives from Kolhapur started a march to Belagavi. As the delegation reached the border, Karnataka police stopped them from moving forward. Maharashtra police, on their part, detained the Sena (UBT) representatives for causing a roadblock along Pune-Bengaluru NH 48 and brought them back to Kagal.
At least 50 Maharashtra Ekikaran Samiti’s workers were taken into custody.
'Marathi residents in border areas face oppression' In Kagal, Sena (UBT)'s Kolhapur district chief Sanjay Pawar said, "Marathi residents in the inter-state border areas face oppression from Karnataka govt. A united Maharashtra cannot be formed by leaving a large population outside the state. They are treated as a minority. We want the Centre to intervene and resolve the issue at the earliest. Otherwise, we will not allow Karnataka politicians to enter Maharashtra."
Shiv Sena leader Uday Samant said either he or someone from his party would visit Belagavi, but none from the party showed up.
Maharashtra Ekikaran Samiti has been fighting for the inclusion of Marathi-speaking border areas of Karnataka into Maharashtra. The Belagavi district administration last week said they would not allow the congregation this year and strict action would be taken against those trying to hold any meeting when the Karnataka assembly session was on.
Despite the ban on the conclave, Maharashtra Ekikaran Samiti representatives started gathering at Sambhaji Maharaj Chowk in Belagavi. However, police detained them and the congregation was not allowed to be held. The Samiti insisted that Karnataka govt could not hold the assembly session in Belagavi as the border dispute was pending before the Supreme Court.
Aaditya Thackeray wants union territory status for 'disputed area'Shiv Sena (UBT) politician Aaditya Thackeray on Monday condemned Karnataka govt's imposition of prohibitory orders in Belagavi to not allow the "Marathi Manus to raise their voice" at the conclave organised by Maharashtra Ekikaran Samiti. He said Belagavi "is part of Marathi pride and will remain so".
Thackeray wrote on his X account, "I demand the Karnataka govt stop the injustice against Marathi people. We do not consider anything larger than the interest of Maharashtra and Marathi Manus. Also, we demand that the central govt declare the disputed border area as a Union Territory immediately."
Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut told reporters in New Delhi, "I urge the CM and deputy CMs of Maharashtra to visit Belagavi and meet Maharashtra Ekikaran Samiti leaders. Former CM Eknath Shinde never visited the border areas to listen to the residents' grievances. I went there many times, and they arrested me. But we didn't budge."
Aaditya Thackeray’s statement on MES is childish: Karnataka CM SiddaramaiahDismissing Aaditya's demand as a “childish statement”, chief minister Siddaramaiah said: “Just because someone says to make a region a Union territory, will that happen? The Mahajan report is final and neither Maharashtra nor Karnataka can lay claim to any border territories.”
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