The Brihan Maharashtra Mandal’s (BMM) 65th Annual Conference concluded on Sunday as organisers and participants promised to keep working for the protection and promotion of the identity of Marathi-speaking communities settled outside Maharashtra.
The two-day conference was organised by the Marathi Bhasha Premi Mandal, Belgaum, at Ramnath Mangal Karyalaya in Bhagya Nagar here. The main objective of the conference was to take fresh stock of various issues and explore areas where BMM could work for the further betterment of the Marathi-speaking community. Around 1,000 delegates from different parts of the country participated.
Delivering the valedictory address, Prakash Javadekar, senior leader from Maharashtra and BJP spokesman, stressed on the need to protect the cultural identity associated with a linguistic community.
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He also offered to take up any role to further the cause of Marathi-speaking people if the mandal came forward with a proposal in that direction.
Earlier in the morning, a Shoba Yatra was taken out. In the afternoon session, actor Dilip Prabhavalkar who played ‘Bapu’ in the Hindi film ‘Lage Raho Munnabhai’ spoke.
Well-known orator from Maharashtra Pandurang Balkawde, who inaugurated the conference along with Mr. Prabhavalkar on Saturday, spoke about ‘Maharashtra outside Maharashtra’. He said that even after migrating from Maharashtra, the Marathi-speaking community had retained its cultural identity.
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BMM working president Vilas Buchke, Vishnu Surya Wagh, MLA and chairman of Kala Academy, Goa, and Suresh C. Angadi, MP were present. The BMM released its calendar on the occasion. Cultural programmes were held in the evening.