Maharashtra MP to be kept out of Belagavi amid border row

Belagavi: The entry of Shiv Sena Member of Parliament Dhairyasheel Mane to Belagavi city has been banned by the district administration. He was expected to arrive on Monday to participate in an event organised by Madhyavarti Maharashtra Ekikaran Samiti (MMES).

Amid the border row between Karnataka and Maharashtra, the MMES has organised a protest at the Vaccine Depot Ground in Tilakwadi. The district headquarter town of Belagavi will soon be hosting the 10-day winter session of the Karnataka Legislature.

Hatkanangale MP Mane wrote to district authorities to facilitate his visit. He asked the police commissioner to provide a pilot car and escort with Y category security. However, the Deputy Commissioner of Belagavi district Nitesh K Patil issued a prohibitory order banning Mane's entry.

Patil said the MP is likely to deliver an inflammatory speech which can lead to linguistic conflict and create a law and order problem as well as damage to public properties. MMES leader Suraj Kanbarkar said the police have given permission to hold the event but the organisation is not sure which leader from Maharashtra is likely to attend the event here though we have given invitations to all the important people.

Maharashtra has been demanding that Belagavi be merged with the state because it has a big Marathi population. Karnataka has maintained that the border dispute was earlier settled by the Mahajan Committee and there is no question of letting off the land.