Shiv Sena (UBT) leaders stage protest in Kolhapur temple, raise slogans against Karnataka during MLA visit

Belagavi: Leaders of Shiv Sena (UBT) staged protest in the premises of Mahalaxmi-Ambabai temple in Kolhapur and raised slogans against Karnataka during the visit of former minister and MLA Prabhu Chavan, MLA Sunil Kumar and others to the temple on Wednesday.

Legislature session being adjourned upto December 12, due to demise of former Chief Minister S M Krishna led in the lawmakers and officials visiting Mahalaxmi-Ambabai temple.

Sena leaders led by Kolhapur District President Vijay Devane, Sanjay Pawar, Sunil Modi and others who were aware of the visit of the dignitaries from Karnataka, assembled in the premises of temple and raised slogans against Karnataka along with demanding Marathi speaking areas be merged with Maharashtra.

They told Chavan and Sunil Kumar that Marathi speaking people were meted atrocities in Karnataka and Maharashtra Ekikaran Samiti was not even allowed to hold its Maha Melava on December 9, to express the sentiments of Marathi speaking people. Injustices were meted to Marathi speaking people. Even we were not allowed to go to Belagavi to express support to MES and were stopped at Kognoli near Nippani on the Pune-Bengaluru national highway.

We had informed Kolhapur Collection that we would protest during the visit of ministers, lawmakers and officials from Karnataka during the legislature session, they said.

Chavan told the Sena activists that the Karnataka-Maharashtra boundary dispute has been pending since long and Supreme Court too was yet to give its verdict. Democracy should remain active and himself shall bring their sentiments to the notice of Karnataka government as they were MLAs of the opposition BJP.