Nearly one lakh people participated in the silent march, Maratha Kranti Mook Morcha, in Belagavi on Thursday demanding reservation for Maratha community and also early resolution to the Karnataka-Maharashtra border dispute. Given the location, and the insistence by the Maharashtra Ekikaran Samiti, the border dispute took centrestage in the list of 14 demands.
The other demands included capital punishment for the accused in Kopardi rape and murder case; amendment to Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989, to prevent its misuse; and an end to acquisition of fertile agricultural land for industrial and infrastructure purposes.
Thousands of men and women, college students and activists of various Maratha organisations belonging to the Marathi linguistic community from all over the district, mainly from the Assembly constituencies of Belagavi South, Belagavi Rural, Khanapur, Nippani, besides small numbers from the adjoining villages, towns and cities of Kolhapur district of Maharashtra participated in the silent march organised under the common banner of Sakal Maratha and Marathi Kranti (Mook) Morcha and supported by MES and a large number of Marathi Yuvak Mandals.
The march was highlighted by a large number of saffron flags, placards depicting various demands and images of Lord Hanuman and Chhatrapati Shivaji. It commenced around noon from the Shivaji Garden in Shahpur and culminated peacefully at Dharamveer Sambhaji Circle well before the 2 p.m. deadline set by the city police. Belagavi Mayor Sarita Viraj Patil, Sambhaji L. Patil, MLA from Belagavi South, Kolhapur Mayor Hasina Babu Faras, the former MLA from Belagavi Rural Manohar Kinekar, senior MES leaders Deepak Dalvi and the former Mayor Malojirao Ashtekar were among others who led the march.
Local residents, including Muslims, distributed food, fruits, drinking water and butter milk to those taking part in the procession, along the route of the march.
A majority of the Marathi-speaking traders kept their commercial establishments closed for the day to participate in the march.
Later, a delegation of five schoolgirls, who read out the set of demands for the gathering at Dharmveer Sambhaji Circle, submitted the memorandum to Deputy Commissioner N. Jayaram at his chamber.
The city police had made elaborate bandobast arrangements and kept strict vigil to ensure that the law and order, peace and linguistic harmony were not disturbed.
