A fresh linguistic and political controversy has erupted in the sensitive border district of Belagavi, following a breach of privilege motion moved by a Maharashtra MP against a Karnataka bureaucrat. The incident has reignited the longstanding border dispute between Karnataka and Maharashtra, leading to protests from Kannada organisations.
MP's Allegations and the 'Black Day' Event
Shiv Sena MP Dhairyasheel Mane, who also chairs the Border Dispute Expert Committee, moved the motion before Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla on December 20. He targeted Belagavi Deputy Commissioner Mohammed Roshan, accusing him of unlawfully restricting the MP's participation in a programme on November 1.
The programme was the 'Black Day' observance organised by the Maharashtra Ekikaran Samiti (MES), which coincides with Karnataka's foundation day, Rajyotsava. Mane claimed he was stopped at the Karnataka border and prevented from entering the state. He termed this action a serious violation of his democratic rights as an elected representative and an infringement of his constitutional right to freedom of movement.
The MP argued that the DC cited potential law-and-order issues to curtail his rights. He reiterated the MES stance that the merger of Belagavi and 865 Marathi-speaking villages with Karnataka on November 1, 1956, was a historical blunder. MES leaders and Marathi-speaking organisations have welcomed Mane's parliamentary move, expressing hope that it will hold officials accountable.
Kannada Organisations Stage Fierce Counter-Protest
In a strong response, hundreds of activists from the Karnataka Rakshana Vedike (KRV), including factions led by Narayana Gowda and Shivarame Gowda, staged a protest rally in Belagavi on Monday. The demonstration was led by district president Deepak Gudaganatti.
The protesters burned an effigy of MP Dhairyasheel Mane and staged a symbolic mock funeral at Channamma Circle. Gudaganatti demanded that a breach of privilege motion should instead be filed against Mane for attempting to disturb linguistic harmony in the region. He accused Maharashtra leaders of repeatedly provoking Marathi-speaking residents to keep the border issue alive and called for Mane's disqualification as an MP.
Escalating Rhetoric and Calls for Action
Senior Kannada activist Ashok Chandaragi wrote to Speaker Om Birla, alleging that Mane presented only partial facts. Chandaragi claimed that past attendance of Maharashtra leaders at MES rallies had led to law-and-order problems in Belagavi. He stated that the district administration's restrictions were a necessary step for maintaining peace and that Kannada-speaking people firmly supported DC Roshan's actions.
Meanwhile, Marathi organisations have urged MPs from Maharashtra to raise the border issue in Parliament in a coordinated manner. They are pushing for greater engagement from the Border Dispute Expert Committee, including regular meetings and active pursuit of the case which is pending before the Supreme Court.
The situation remains tense in Belagavi, with the breach of privilege motion in New Delhi amplifying local grievances on both sides of the linguistic divide. The core dispute over the status of Marathi-speaking areas in Karnataka continues to fuel periodic confrontations, keeping this decades-old issue firmly in the political spotlight.
