Saffron flag controversy is gaining ground Aage Kua Piche Khayi

MP Suresh Angadi and MLA Sanjay Patil are now on the back foot as there are protests by the KRV. Angadi told The Hindu, and I quote “I will support it even if the KRV is ready to hoist a saffron flag, which has been and continues to be the symbol of our national pride since the times of the Mahabharata and the Ramayana, The saffron flag symbolizes Hinduism and not the Kannada or Marathi linguistic community, as is being misunderstood by a few.”
The issue was deliberately raked up to project the BJP as “anti-Karnataka” during election time.The KRV ransacked the official chamber of Sanjay Patil, Bharatiya Janata Party MLA, which is housed in Belgaum taluk panchayat office here on Tuesday.

On the other side another faction of the KRV attacked the office Suresh Angadi which is situated in the Cada office.

The KRV is demanding the withdrawal of the nomination of Angadi for the elections as they are supporting the hoisting of the saffron flag.

In another development on the same issue the District administration submitted its report to the chief election officer of the state on the roles played by the MP and MLA in the protest done by MES, however no notice of violation of code of conduct has been issued.

Its worst times for BJP now, “Aage Kua Piche Khayi”. If the Angadi supports the MES on the issue he can be in the race to get some Marathi votes, otherwise which is not very likely this time. People say, these politicians come when they want votes and this a just another example to it. The KRV is against Angadi’s support to MES saffron flag, so they are asking people not to vote for him. So where does the MP go “Aage Kua Piche Khayi”.

This time the Belgaum loksabha election could give some surprises, still the other candidate lists are not out so we just have to imagine but, for these years the Marathi-Kannada issue was never a issue of great importance during the Loksabha elections. Yes, for the assembly elections it is the only issue.

There has been no much disturbance after the delimitation of the constituencies. Belgaum Loksabha seat is made up of Arabhavi, Gokak, Belgaum Uttar, Belgaum Dakshin, Belgaum Rural, Bailhongal, Saundatti Yellamma and Ramdurg.

So be glued to the election fever the congress candidate names should be out in a day or two and other names also as the nomination process starts in the last week of March.

Source: The Hindu

Elections are near: BJP now plays Marathi card on saffron flag issue

52 yrs on, Maha-Karnataka boundary row still stirs emotions

This is a PTI news bite pasted as on their site;
(PTI) Despite the over fifty-year old boundary dispute between Maharashtra and Karnataka becoming a matter of less concern for the new generation, the issue continues to stir emotions among the votaries of merger of Marathi-speaking areas with the southern state.
As Karnataka prepares to hold Assembly session in Belgaum, a border district, the pro-merger groups revisit their long struggle and are hopeful of "justice".
Leaders of pro-unification Maharashtra Ekikaran Samiti (MES) and politicians from Maharashtra, who participated in various agitations in Belgaum, said they were still awaiting the Supreme Court's verdict on the dispute, one of the last unresolved offshoots of the linguistic reorganisation.
"Justice delayed is justice denied. But we are still positive and hopeful that we will get justice," a top leader of MES, Kiran Thakur, told PTI.
MES has been observing November 1, the Rajyotsava Day (foundation day) of Karnataka as `Black Day' and January 17 as "martyrs day" every year to commemorate the martyrdom of five people from Belgaum who were killed in police firing protesting the decision to include the city in Karnataka.
The session starting in Belgaum from January 16 is the second since then Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy took the decision at the end of 2007. He had even announced that Belgaum would be developed as the second capital of Karnataka and Rs 100 crore would be spent for its development.
Karnataka sees the session as an opportunity to remove the feeling of alienation among the people of Belgaum and at the same time assert its right over the city. PTI
Source: PTI

No permission to MES to hold Maha Melava

No permission to MES to hold Maha Melava
No permission has been given to MES to hold the session. The MES had planned to invite Maharashtra deputy CM Chagan Bhujbal and Raj Thackrey on January 16 for the Maha Melava as a parallel session to the legislative session to begin on the same day.
"MES is playing with the sentiments of Kannadigas and Marathis. But we will not get in their way. We'll intervene if they create law and order problems," Yeddyurappa said.
The material brought by the MES for the said Melva was confiscated by the police.
Source: Times of India

KRV threatens agitation

Karnataka Rakshana Vedike (Narayan Gowda faction) has threatened to agitate if the Government allows the Maharashtra Ekikaran Samiti (MES) to organize “Maha-Melava”, proposed to be held on the same day as the first day of the Assembly session in Belgaum on January16.
If they were [ermitted to hold the Melva, then a seprate Melva for the Kannadigas would also be organized, KRV district president Rajveev Topannavar said.

Minister promises more funds to expedite development works

Source The Hindu
Government will organise world Kannada meet in Belgaum: Bommai

The State Government will organise the proposed world Kannada meet in Belgaum city, Minister for Major and Medium Irrigation Basavaraj Bommai, who is also the district in-charge Minister, announced here on Friday. Dates for the event would be announced soon, he said.

Mr. Bommai said he would try to solve the problems impeding the growth of industries and get more funds to expedite development works in the city. The Minister said he would urge the Chief Minister to establish a special economic zone and a food park in the city, besides implementing works on establishment of information technology and biotechnology parks. Mr. Bommai asked the BCC officials to show improvement in the civic works within 30 days.
There were also demands on naming the airport and the central bus stand here after Rani Chennamma and construction of a wholesale vegetable market complex by the dealers who had purchased land on their own for the purpose.

Belgaum gets its second Kannada-speaking Mayor

Source : The Hindu
SURPRISE WINNERS: Prashanta Shantinath Budavi (left) and Yunis B. Momin who were elected as Mayor and Deputy Mayor of Belgaum respectively on Tuesday.
Belgaum: A Kannada-speaking candidate on Tuesday was elected Mayor of Belgaum, which is considered a stronghold of the Maharashtra Ekikarani Samiti (MES). The MES lost the Deputy Mayor’s post to an Urdu-speaking candidate.
Regional Commissioner, Amita Prasad, who officiated as Returning Officer, declared Prashanta Shantinath Budavi elected as Mayor and Yunis B. Momin elected as Deputy Mayor.
The post of Mayor was reserved for woman (general) and that of Deputy Mayor for “general”. Ms. Budavi and Mr. Momin polled 30 votes each as against 28 votes polled by MES candidates Neelima Paushe and Netaji Balu Mangutkar. The Kannada organisations and workers, who had all the reasons to celebrate the victory, had to be content with offering floral tributes to the statue of Rani Channamma at Channamma Circle, thanks to the prohibitory orders in force.
Ms. Budavi and Mr. Momin belong to Sarvabhashik Samvichar Vikas Vedike floated by a Kannada-Urdu speaking corporators with the help of a small breakaway group of MES led by the former Mayor Sambhaji Patil.
Belgaum MP Suresh C. Angadi, who did not vote in the past mayoral polls, yielded to pressure from the BJP leadership and Kananda groups and cast his vote in favour of the vedike candidates.
Thirty-seven-year-old Ms. Budavi hails from Kittur. She is the wife of Shantinath Budavi, City president of Kannada Rakshana Vedike. A home-maker, she represents Ward No.58 in the Council. Mr. Momin, 44, is a Science graduate and represents Ward No. 47 in the city.
However, Ms. Budavi is the second Kannada-speaking candidate to be elected Mayor. The first Kannada candidate who held the Mayor’s post was veteran Kannada leader Siddangouda Patil from June 30, 1991 to December 25, 1992.
The then Congress-Janata Dal (Secular) coalition government led by the former Chief Minister N. Dharam Singh had yielded to pressure from Kannada organisations and on November 21, 2005 superseded the corporation Council headed by the then Mayor Vijay Pandurang More for taking a stand favouring merger of areas dominated by Marathi-speaking people in Belgaum with Maharashtra.
Ms. Budavi and Mr. Momin expressed their gratitude to SSVV members, their leader Sambhaji Patil and Mr. Angadi for their election.
The reservation for women has ensured 16 women being elected to the civic body in September 2007 polls. Ever since the formation of the corporation, four of the 19 Mayoral terms hitherto, were led by three women corporators. Vijayalakshmi Vishnu Chopde was the first woman Mayor who completed her term from February 15, 1996 to February 15, 1997.
Vandana Mohan Belgundkar was the only woman to have served two full mayoral terms in same Council from June 16, 2001 to June 19, 2002 and later again from September 3, 2004 to September 5, 2005. Neelima Chavhan was the third woman to head the Council from June 29, 2002 to June 29, 2003.
Also, five deputy mayoral terms were served by four women members — Kusuma Krishna Tapale (Mayor 24, 1990 to June 29, 1991), Gourabai Jaipal Londe (February 15, 1997 to March 30, 1998), Asma Tahsildar (April 17, 2000 to February 13, 2001) and Veena Kolkar (from June 16 to 19, 2001 and June 30, 2003 to September 3, 2004). Unity paid off
Mr. Angadi has attributed the victory of Kannada speaking candidate belonging to Sarvabhashik Samvichar Vikas Vedike as Mayor of the 58-member corporation to the vedike members who remained united until the end. He told The Hindu soon after the results of the Mayoral polls were declared here on Tuesday afternoon that the credit should go to all the corporators, including the Urdu and two Marathi-speaking corporators who were united under the banner of the vedike to create a history of sorts.
Nobody else could claim the success of the vedike candidates, he said. Kannada Rakshana Vedike’s office-bearer said that but Mr. Angadi’s vote, no body else in the city or district came forward to support the vedike.

Corporators come out of hibernation

Source: The NewIndian Express

New Jersey:voter registration in Gujarati.

Source:
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Now_US_voter_registration_forms_in_Gujarati/rssarticleshow/2709670.cms

In a country like USA there is a Gujrati voter registration and in Belgaum, Karnataka, India where the majority population is Marathi speaking all the voter list and the application are in Kannada only.
http://belgaumblog.blogspot.com/2008/01/find-your-name-in-voters-list-be-ready.html That link has those voters list.

Infact there is a Supreme court ruling in this matter that if the percentage of a single language is more than 25% all the govt.Official documents should also be published in that particular language.But it has never happened.

I am not here to make another point and start the battle in between Marathi & Kannada speaking Belgaumites, But I just thought the Govt. there in the USA thinks that is the best way to collect the correct information then why not the same SENSE of working here also. That's my only point.

Lessons to learn from Past Kannada Marathi Unity

This story is taken from my Associte Blog http://belgaumnri.blogspot.com/ .