Highlighting concerns over the preservation and promotion of Kannada in border areas, Kannada activists in Belagavi have urged the Kannada Development Authority (KDA) to allocate ₹2 crore for Karnataka Rajyotsava celebrations in the city, citing massive public participation. They also demanded a ban on the Maharashtra Ekikaran Samiti (MES), accusing the group of anti-state activities.
The demands were voiced during a meeting convened by KDA Chairman Dr. Purushottam Bilimale at the Circuit House on Thursday. Participants raised pressing concerns about safeguarding the Kannada language and culture, particularly in border regions.
The activists proposed that KDA hold quarterly meetings in Belagavi to ensure local grievances are addressed. Karnataka Border Areas Development Authority member Ashok Chandargi recommended setting up regional offices of the Karnataka Border and Rivers Protection Commission and the Border Areas Development Authority at the Suvarna Vidhan Soudha. This, he said, would make it easier for residents to raise issues without having to travel to Bengaluru.
He also suggested forming Kannada awareness committees at the gram panchayat, taluk, and district levels, with members granted access to KDA meetings. Criticising the introduction of English-medium instruction in over 4,000 government schools, activist Mahadev Talwar called for strengthening Kannada-medium schools with better infrastructure and sanitation.
Karnataka Rakshana Vedike district president Deepak Gudagnatti condemned the registration of Kannada activists as rowdy-sheeters for participating in language movements, demanding immediate withdrawal of such cases. He reiterated the call for a ban on MES, labelling it anti-Kannada.
Responding to the concerns, Bilimale assured that the issues would be taken up with the state government and promised further meetings to resolve them. KDA member Santosh Hangal, Basavaraj Kattimani Trust chairman Yallappa Himmadi, and Kannada and Culture Department deputy director Vidyavati Bhajantri were also present.
