MES-led Maha Melava convention cancelled after police deny permission

Belagavi: The Maha Melava convention being organised by Maharashtra Ekikaran Samiti (MES) has been cancelled after the police refused to give permission on Monday.

MES, which has been demanding the merger of Belagavi with Maharashtra, has been conducting Maha Melava every year since 2006 in Belagavi on the inaugural day of Karnataka assembly’s winter session

This year, MES decided to hold the event on Monday and invited Shiv Sena MP Dhairyasheel Mane. The district administration prohibited the Shivsena MP's entry under Section 144, and also denied permission for conducting the Melava.

Prohibitory orders were issued in Tilakwadi Police Station limits.
ADGP (Law and Order) Alok Kumar who is stationed in Belagavi visited the venue to take stock of the situation and directed the officials to take necessary steps. The stage that was being set up for the programme has been removed.

The MES activists who wanted to visit the venue were prevented by the police. The activists shouted slogans in support of the inclusion of Belagavi, Nipani, Karwar, Bidar, and Bhalki with Maharashtra. The police took them under preventive custody.

Meanwhile, about 300 workers of Maha Vikas Aghadi from Maharashtra holding NCP, Congress, and Bhagwa who tried to enter the Belagavi border in Nippani were stopped and sent back.

Police security has been beefed up in Belagavi in the backdrop of the winter session of the Assembly.