Bengaluru, Feb 28 – ‘Kannada Okkuta,’ a coalition of pro-Kannada organizations, has called for a statewide bandh on March 22 in Karnataka. The protest is in response to an alleged assault on a state-run bus conductor in Belagavi for not conversing in Marathi, an incident that has heightened tensions over the long-standing border and language dispute between Karnataka and Maharashtra.
Call for Statewide Shutdown
Vatal Nagaraj, a prominent Kannada activist and leader of Kannada Okkuta, has urged Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and various organizations to support the bandh. Addressing the media after a meeting of Kannada Okkuta, Nagaraj declared that the shutdown will be observed from 6 AM to 6 PM on March 22, emphasizing that the protest is for the pride of Karnataka, Kannada language, and its people.He further appealed to the Transport Minister, Ramalinga Reddy, to suspend all state-run bus services on the bandh day. Additionally, he sought support from the hotel owners’ association and the Kannada film industry. Nagaraj claimed that several shopping malls have already pledged their support and called on government employees, labor unions, farmer associations, lorry owners, taxi operators, and private schools to join the protest.
Series of Protests Planned
The Kannada Okkuta has lined up multiple demonstrations leading up to the bandh, including:- March 3 – A siege of Raj Bhavan at 11:30 AM to demand action for "Saving Belagavi."
- March 7 – A large procession in Belagavi (Belagavi Chalo).
- March 11 – A bandh in Attibele, near the Tamil Nadu border, to press for the implementation of the Mekedatu project across the Cauvery River.
- March 14 – Protests outside the Deputy Commissioner’s offices in Mandya, Mysuru, and Ramanagara.
- March 16 – A traffic blockade on Old Madras Road near Hoskote.
- March 18 – A meeting of all pro-Kannada organizations in Bengaluru.
The Belagavi Incident and Escalating Tensions
The incident that triggered this wave of protests occurred last week when a Marathi-speaking group allegedly assaulted a Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) bus conductor for not conversing in Marathi. The bus was operating on the Belagavi-Balekundri route at the time.Following the attack, inter-state bus services between Maharashtra and Karnataka were suspended, further intensifying the decades-old dispute over Belagavi and other border villages.
Nagaraj criticized politicians in Belagavi, accusing them of being "Marathi agents" and failing to stand for Kannada pride, regardless of their party affiliation.
Historic Border Dispute
The Belagavi border dispute dates back to 1957, when states were reorganized on linguistic lines. Maharashtra has long claimed Belagavi and over 800 border villages with a sizable Marathi-speaking population. However, Karnataka has maintained that the region belongs to the state, citing the States Reorganisation Act and the 1967 Mahajan Commission Report as final authorities on the matter.In a move to reinforce its claim over Belagavi, Karnataka constructed the Suvarna Vidhana Soudha there, modeled after the Vidhana Soudha in Bengaluru, which serves as the State Legislature and Secretariat.
With growing support for the bandh, all eyes are on March 22, as Karnataka braces for a day of state-wide protests asserting its linguistic and territorial identity.