Police took some Kannada activists in to custody after they threw ink on some MES leaders in Belagavi on Monday. They were opposing MES leaders trying to participate in a Maha Melava rally seeking merger of Belagavi with Maharashtra.
Police stopped the rally and asked the MES leaders to leave the venue. However, the leaders refused to leave the venue and picked up an argument with the police instead. Manohar Kinekar, Shubham Shelke and other leaders argued with the police that they should be allowed to hold the rally, as peaceful protest was their fundamental right. However, the police did not relent, arguing that permission was not given for the rally.
By this time, Kannada activists who barged into the venue, began shouting slogans against the MES leaders. Members of the Karnataka Nava Nirmana Vedike, who were carrying black ink, threw it on Deepak Dalvi, Mr Kinekar and some other leaders. City police took them into custody and dispersed the crowd. Mr Dalvi told journalists that MES would call for a Belagavi bundh on Tuesday.
Later, police stopped at the inter state border Vijay Devane, a Kolhapur based Shiv Sena leader who was scheduled to speak at the MES rally.
On the first day of the session, Belagavi also witnessed farmers’ protest seeking repeal of farm laws, immediate release of flood loss relief and payment of sugarcane arrears. Kodihalli Chandrashekar, KRRS president, asked farmers to prepare for a protracted fight.
