Vidarbha Statehood Netas To Lead ProtestsOn Maharashtra Day

Nagpur/Chandrapur: Nagpur will spearhead a region-wide protest this Maharashtra Day, with Vidarbha Rajya Andolan Samiti (VRAS) planning to hoist a black flag at Samvidhan Chowk on May 1 as part of coordinated demonstrations across Vidarbha demanding a separate state. This decision was made at a VRAS meeting on April 22. The organisation has called for synchronised protests across districts, denouncing Maharashtra Day and framing the movement as a renewed push for statehood under Article 3 of the Constitution. In Nagpur, activists will gather at RBI Square in the morning, wearing black armbands, where a black flag will be raised as a symbolic protest. Similar demonstrations are scheduled later in the day in other parts of Vidarbha, including Chandrapur and Rajura, with gatherings near statues of national leaders starting at 11 am. VRAS leaders claimed that Maharashtra is under increasing financial strain, with liabilities surpassing revenue, making it difficult for the state to fulfil its obligations. They alleged that the govt is unable to repay loans and interest on time, clear contractor dues estimated at over Rs96,000 crore, or adequately address basic public needs. The organisation linked these financial issues to long-standing problems in Vidarbha, such as irrigation backlog, farmer suicides, malnutrition, unemployment, and industrial pollution. It argued that successive govts have failed to resolve these concerns, reinforcing the demand for a separate state. Under its Mission 2027, the movement is being positioned as a decisive phase in the statehood campaign. Youth wing provincial president Mukesh Masurkar has urged party workers and supporters in Nagpur to join the morning protest in large numbers. Several senior officials, including Vidarbha president Arunbhau Kedar, former vice-president Sunil Chokhare, publicity chief Tatyasaheb Matte, district president Prashant Nakhate, and other office-bearers, were involved in planning and mobilisation efforts. Participants across Vidarbha have been asked to wear black bands during the protests, signalling dissent while highlighting what the organisation describes as persistent regional neglect. With demonstrations planned across districts, the agitation is expected to bring the statehood demand back into sharp focus on a day otherwise marked by celebrations of Maharashtra's formation.