On November 1st, as Karnataka celebrated its formation day, Rajyotsava, members of the Maharashtra Ekikaran Samiti (MES) took to the streets of Belagavi to observe a ‘Black Day’ of protest.
Clad in black attire and caps, activists first converged at Dharmaveer Sambhaji Maidan in the city’s older quarter. There, they vociferously protested against the Karnataka government, accusing it of imposing Kannada language policies on Marathi-speaking regions.
The protest escalated into a combined cycle rally and ‘padayatra’ (foot march), winding its way from the Maidan through prominent areas such as Bhatakande Nagar, Fort Road, Patil Galli, Madhav Road, Hemu Kalyani Chowk, and Shani Mandir Circle, before concluding at Maratha Mangal Karyalaya. Throughout the march, participants chanted slogans advocating for a unified Maharashtra, specifically demanding the inclusion of historically Marathi-speaking areas within Karnataka, including Belagavi, Bidar, Bhalki, and Nippani. Several key MES leaders, including Manohar Kinekar, Maloji Ashtekar, and Deepak Dalvi, were prominent among the demonstrators.
Adding to the tension, district police at the Belagavi border successfully intercepted a Shiv Sena leader from Maharashtra attempting to enter the region. Kolhapur MP Dairasheel Mane and fellow Shiv Sena leader Vijay Devaney were stopped at the Kuganoli check post in Nippani taluk. Belagavi Deputy Commissioner Mohammad Roshan had previously issued prohibitory orders preventing their entry into the district. Police officials informed the leaders of these orders, cautioning them against attempting alternative routes. After a brief but heated argument, the Shiv Sena leaders ultimately complied, turning back towards their respective towns.
A separate controversy unfolded when a police inspector, J.M. Kalimirchi, was seen taking a selfie photograph with Shubham Shelke, a prominent MES youth wing leader who is currently facing criminal charges and had been absconding. Police sources later clarified that Kalimirchi had been specifically instructed by senior officers to locate and photograph Shelke as part of an effort to track him. Belagavi Police Commissioner Borase Bhushan Gulabrao assured the public that the incident would be thoroughly investigated.
Further stirring public debate, Kannada organizations expressed strong disapproval of the State government’s decision to bestow the prestigious Karnataka Rajyotsava award upon Rajashree Nagaraju (Halagekar), chairperson of the Martha Mandal Education Society (MMES). Ashok Chandaragi, convenor of the central committee of Kannada organizations, vehemently argued that the MMES had a history of supporting anti-Kannada and pro-MES activities, failed to teach Kannada, and did not implement the language in its administrative functions, thus making its office bearers undeserving of such an honor.