Activists of Maharashtra Ekikaran Samiti (MES) staged a rally demanding the removal of the Kannada flag hoisted in front of the Belagavi City Corporation (BCC) with the second ultimatum given by them to the district administration ending on Monday. They demanded that the saffron flag should be hoisted as per the resolution passed by the BCC in the past.
Raising slogans demanding the merger of Marathi-speaking areas with Maharashtra, MES activists took out a rally from Sambhaji Circle on Monday but were stopped by the police near the Sardar’s School ground.
MES President Deepak Dalvi demanded that either the district administration remove the Kannada flag or a few among them be allowed to hoist the saffron flag.
Deputy Commissioner M G Hiremath arrived at the spot and promised to hold talks with the concerned for an amicable solution.
In the meantime, women activists of MES led by Sarita Patil and Renu Killekar made an unsuccessful attempt to hoist the saffron flag in front of BCC. Police detained them and took away the flag and the flag pole.
Shiv Sena leader from Kolhapur Vijay Dewane and his associates were not allowed to enter the district. They were stopped at Kognoli checkpost on the Pune-Bengaluru national highway as per ban orders issued by the district magistrate.
Published 08 March 2021, 16:48 IST