Karnataka: Maharashtra Ekikaran Samiti members detained for protesting against winter session

Belagavi, Dec 9 (IANS) The Karnataka Police detained the members of Maharashtra Ekikaran Samiti (MES) on Monday for staging a protest against the winter session in the Suvarna Soudha in Belagavi.

The members of MES were detained at the Sambhaji circle in Belagavi for violating the orders by the Karnataka Police. The police arrested MES Working President Manohar Kinekar, treasurer Prakash Margale and workers of the MES from the office located at the Ramlinggarh Galli in the city.

The MES workers came in groups to the Sambhaji circle and raised slogans in favour of the greater Maharashtra state. The situation turned tense in the region and the police forces deputed reined in the situation and arrested all protestors in the department vehicles after retaining them.

The MES has maintained that the Supreme Court has not given a verdict on the Karnataka-Maharashtra border row and the dispute between the two states over Belagavi city. The MES had declared that it would stage the protest condemning the organisation of the winter session of the Karnataka state legislature in Belagavi.

However, the district administration of Belagavi had denied permission for the protest by the MES. Anticipating the agitation despite the denial of permission, the Karnataka Police Department deputed additional forces to the various locations of Belagavi city.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (Law and Order) Rohan Jagadeesh has stated that the members of MES had staged a protest without permission and had denied their submission. He also stated that additional forces have been deputed at the Karnataka-Maharashtra border checkposts to prevent the entry of the leaders and workers of the MES from Maharashtra state.

Following the Justice Fazal Ali Commission report,14 Indian states and six union territories came into existence in 1953 and Karnataka was one among them. The commission declared Belagavi as part of Karnataka.

After the report was made public in 1956, Maharashtra state started to claim rights over Belagavi. Violence triggered in Mumbai and Belagavi and the MES is continuing the agitation demanding the merger of Belagavi city into the state of Maharashtra.

Meanwhile, about 11 organisations are staging protests outside the Suvarna Vidhana Soudha in Belagavi demanding for fulfilment of various demands.

The government has banned the movement of vehicles for the purpose of agitation for 48 hours. Basava Jaya Mrutynjaya Swamiji, the Panchamasali Lingayat seer had given a call for "tractor chalo" demanding reservation for the Panchamasali community under the 2A category. It is planned to lay siege to the Suvarna Soudha with more than 2,000 tractors.

--IANS