Media coverage of Belgaum: assembly session

Media coverage of Belgaum: assembly session
In continuance of my all India media coverage of Belgaum during the Assembly session, here are some interesting points.
The national media is not covering the assembly as it yet to start, its giving great importance to the other issues like MES maha Mellava. Yesterday I had posted news bites from PTI; see a part from Bangalore Mirror.

The Karnataka-Maharashtra boundary row could whip up passions yet again. The day: Friday. The place: Belgaum. For, the state government will hold its winter session of legislature in the border district.
The same day, the Maharashtra Ekikaran Samiti (MES) plans to hold the Marathi Mahamellav. The MES (splinter group) is staging the rally in protest against Karnataka holding its winter session in Belgaum.
Sonia Narang, SP, said, “We have not granted permission to the MES. In 2006, permission had been granted and things had gone worse. This time, we don’t want to take risks. It is left to the government to allow them to hold the rally or not. We have taken all security measures.”
A meeting of the Marathas will be held at Lele Grounds, Tilakwadi on Jan 16 in Belgaum.
The MES has split due to the denial of tickets in the recent Assembly polls. One of the MES factions is led by Kiran Thakur, editor of Marathi newspaper ‘Tarun Bharat’. Its members are: Vijay More and Shivaji Sunthkar, former Belgaum mayors; B I Patil, former MLA; and Kiran Saynak, T K Patil and Narayan Kitwadkar, all corporators.The other faction is led by former Maharashtra minister Prof N D Patil. He has the backing of Manohar Kinyekar, Narayanrao Tarale, Digambar Patil and Vasantrao Patil, all former MLAs; Maloji Ashtekar, former Belgaum mayor; and Deepak Dalvi, a senior MES leader.
Source: Bangalore Mirror

Media Coverage: Continued…
All the news media have taken into context the PTI news bite and added their own reports to it.
See this on from Outlookindia - http://news.outlookindia.com/item.aspx?651718
One more on the same lines from Zeenews -http://www.zeenews.com/states/2009-01-14/498784news.html

Chandni Chowk to China Paid Preview first time in Belgaum at Big Cinemas

Another great time for Belgaum.
The first ever paid preview of the movie Chandni Chowk to China will be premiered today a day ahead of the official rerelease.
The first show will be on Screen 1 at 8.15pm and on Screen 2 at 9.30pm.
So you can see the movie before all see it, any takers..

Belgaum is getting hotter, politically

The Karnataka Govt. citing the danger of a law and order situation has arrested Ex MLA and MES leader Manohar Kinekar, last night. Other couple of other MES leaders was also arrested with him.
The state govt, has denied the MES permission for the parallel Maha Mellava and hence these arrests. A few more could be arrested today.
There is huge police establishment in Belgaum since yesterday and Belgaum is turning into a fortress. About 4000 police personal have been called in for duty to Belgaum from various other places. Rapid Action force has also been called in.
The situation could get hotter through the day.
Even after the arrests the MES claims it will hold the maha Mellava, may what come.
Source inputs Tarun Bharat & Pudhari

Karnataka gives politicians chance to revive border row:Belgaum Media Coverage

This bit of news seems to be a continuing coverage of PTI of the issue.
I am posting this on this blog as the same will be covered by the national media, and the manner in which it is covered is important to us. But I personally liked the heading of the post (Karnataka gives politicians chance to revive border row).

Karnataka's decision to hold an assembly session in Belgaum from January 16, has given politicians a fresh opportunity to rake up the long standing border dispute with Maharashtra which is now pending with the Supreme Court.The Maharashtra Ekikaran Samiti (MES) and some Maharashtra politicians such as Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Chagan Bhujbal have for long been agitating to realise their demand for merger of 856 villages and towns of Karnataka, including Belgaum, Karwar and Nippani with Maharashtra.However, MES failed to win a single seat in the Marathi-dominated areas in last year's assembly elections and the emotive appeal of the issue seems to have lost traction with the younger generation of Marathi-speaking people in Karnataka.Bhujbal, one of the leading lights of the agitation in the '80s, however, told PTI it was wrong to say the movement has lost its relevance just because the MES is not in control of the Belgaum municipality and was without representation in the Karnataka Assembly.While MES believes the Karnataka move is aimed at thwarting their "just" struggle, Karnataka, sees the session as an opportunity to remove the feeling of alienation among the Marathi-speaking people of Belgaum and at the same time assert its right over the city.This will be the second time when a Karnataka assembly session will be held in Belgaum. Former Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy had decided to hold the first one at the end of 2007 while announcing that Belgaum would be developed as the second capital of Karnataka and Rs 100 crore would be spent for its development.The delay in arriving at an amicable solution to the boundary row was due to political and electoral interests of national parties in both the states, Bhujbal said."Delay is inevitable, but justice is important. The matter is now pending before the Supreme Court and the State Government is pressing for an early solution," he added.Maharashtra has a rightful claim over Belgaum and other areas on the basis of language and geographical continuity, said Bhujbal.Even as the dispute awaits the Supreme Court verdict, pro-merger Marathi politicians are hopeful that justice will be done and the court's judgment will go in their favour.
Source: http://newsx.com/story/41455

Belgaum Legislative Assembly session 2009 website

To get all the details of the entire Belgaum Legislative Assembly session 2009, visit http://belgaum.nic.in/session-09.html
At the moment the various details like, Accommodation, Maps etc have been mentioned.
All is in Kannada and in Flash mode.
The site will be updated daily and you can get a host of information from the site. I will also be following the same here. Even photographs and detailed materials as to what happened in the day will be posted on the same place I guess.
But instead of only one person seeing the site, I thought it will be nice if you all see it and give me news bites.

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

Treats waiting for the MLAs in Belgaum

The joint session of the Karnataka legislature will being from the 16th and a host of cooks about 100 will be coming in to treat them with some wonderful dishes.
Rotis and Yenne Badnikai pallya (a brinjal preparation), kunda of Belgaum, khardant and ladakki undi of Gokak and pedhes of Dharwad will make up the sumptuous fare. There would also be North Indian and Chinese cuisine for VVIPs who prefer it that way. As many as 120 hotel management students of the KLE Society’s Hotel Management College of Bangalore will be assisting the main cooks.
The legislators can keep themselves occupied: Tea and newspapers for the legislators in their rooms in the morning, gym at the JNMC Campus or yoga at the Yoga Centre.

Badminton and lawn tennis courts have also been erected for the sporty ones. A team of doctors from KLE Hospital would visit the MLAs every day. Live telecast of the session has been arranged for the legislators who just can’t have enough of work.
Belgaum is expecting over a lakh visitors to witness the proceedings as well as to meet the ministers and the MLAs.
A massive shamiana would be erected at the Dental College premises for these meetings. Artists from Belgaum would present light music during lunch time and in the evening for the benefit of MLAs.
Source: Express Buzz

Happy Sankrantri

Big Cinemas hikes prices from 16 Jan

This bit of news is from reliable sources.

A big cinema, which is now charging a flat ate of Rs.60 for rickets will now charge Rs.60 for SILVER class, Rs.80 for GOLD class and Rs.100 for PLATINUM class beginning from January 16.

Also there was a query about the online booking being not there for Big Cinemas Belgaum, I followed it up with the higher authorities and here is their reply:

Dear Mr. Uday, We sincerely apologize & deeply regret the inconvenience faced by you with regards to Web Booking of Tickets for our Cinema at Belgaum, however currently we are incapacitated to extend the On-line/Web Booking, as the statutory permission is awaited. However we are working on the same, and hope to start Web Booking facility for Belgaum very soon. We value your patronage and look forward to your continuous association with us even in the future.
Thanks & Regards,
Mohit Dubey
Head - Quality &Revenue Enhancement Adlabs Films Ltd.

Belgaum to Bangalore Air timings changed: Fly Kingfisher

Assembly session preparations at peak

Hardly three days remain for the historic second session of the Karnataka Legislature to begin and the work to build the legislature halls is in full swing.






The Vidhan Sabha will have a green carpet and the Vidhan Parishad will have Red carpet. Almost 80% of the work of both halls is completed and now mikes etc and other last minute work is being undertaken. All the ministers coming in the city are having a look at the arrangements made.

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

Forums: A place to speak you’re self out

http://belgaumblog.com/forum/
This is new, fast and easy.
Just go there Register and speak out yourself. Forum is place for all to speak out. Never ever keep anything deep inside your mind it could be dangerous.
There is FAQ section in the forum, where you can ask questions about Belgaum and anyone can answer it, this will be great use to people coming in to Belgaum and also who are in here.
By participating in the forum you can also share your knowledge, and what is knowledge if it is not shared.
So I request all to take active part in the forums and make a difference.

Farmers ready to give land for Suvarna Vidhan Soudha

Farmers ready to give land for Suvarna Vidhan Soudha
Halga-Bastwad, the place where the Suvarna Vidhan Soudha will be built on 112 acres, the farmers have at last given their nod for acquiring their land but at a price not less than Rs. 13.5 lakh an acre.
Government has proposed to acquire more than 100 acres of land in Survey Number 63 of Halga-Bastwad villages on Pune-Bangalore National Highway No 4 about 12 km from the city to build the Suvarna Vidhana Soudha.
The land with black cotton soil is under agriculture/horticulture.
The Government had agreed to pay a compensation of Rs. 12 lakh an acre, the farmers sought at least Rs. 15 lakh an acre as they would not get alternative land at the same price. Also, many growers would lose their only source of income. The Government would distribute compensation amount within two weeks of acquiring their land.
Source The Hindu

Swami Vivekananda Birth celebrations by Bharat Vikas Parishad