BELAGAVI: Amid the ongoing tensions over the border row between Karnataka and Maharashtra, Maharashtra Ekikaran Samiti (MES) has decided to conduct ‘Mahamelava’, a pro-Maharashtra convention, at Belagavi on December 19 the inaugural day of the winter session of the Karnataka legislature which will be held at Suvarna Vidhana Soudha in the border city.
The Mahamelava will be held at the Vaccine Depot in Belagavi and several top politicians from Maharashtra, including CM Eknath Shinde, former CM Uddhav Thackeray and NCP supremo Sharad Pawar, have been invited by MES. Madhyavarthi Maharashtra Ekikaran Samiti has already submitted a memorandum to the office of the Belagavi police commissioner informing him of the Mahamelava.
“The Karnataka government is finding it difficult to defend its stand on the matter in the court. Karnataka government is forcefully holding the winter session in Belagavi against the wishes of Marathi linguists. Therefore, Mahamelava, a convention of Marathi linguistics is planned for December 19, to express the wishes of the Marathis,” the memorandum added.
According to sources, MES has invited two top brass leaders from every political party — Maharashtra CM Shinde, Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Uddhav Thackarey, DyCM from BJP Devendra Fadnavis,
NCP leader Sharad Pawar, Maharashtra border in-charge ministers Chandrakant Patil and Shambhuraj Desai for the Mahamelava meet.
However, none of these leaders visited Belagavi to attend the Mahamelava organised by the MES in the past. Only one or two legislators from neighbouring Kolhapur and Sangli districts have attended the meet. MES leader and former MLA Manohar Kinekar said, “Like every year, this year too we have decided to hold Mahamelava in Belagavi to express our voice to the governments. We have invited all the top leaders of Maharashtra. We are aware that Karnataka police will not allow them to enter Belagavi. But, we are firm on conducting the meet.”
Border situation under control: CM
Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Monday had a telephonic conve-rsation with Bommai and both agreed that law and order should be maint-ained in both the states, CM Basavaraj Bommai said on Saturday. The CM also said that the situation on the border is under control now and all buses have resumed operations.