Belagavi: Belgaum’s change of name to Belagavi was celebrated by lakhs of people thronging the city for Karnataka Rajyotsava Day, which saw a colourful procession with tableaux from different parts of the state makes its way through the streets for almost six hours starting 11 am from the C.P.Ed grounds on Saturday.
The city itself was itself decked like a bride to welcome the name change, which is seen as a symbolic gesture by Karnataka to assert its claim to it in the face of the demand for its merger with Maharashtra by Marathi activists.
Representatives of all Kannada organisations in the state participated in the procession which was flagged off by excise minister, Satish Jarkiholi, who officially announced the change of the city's name to Belagavi and urged non-Kannadigas in the state to adapt to its language and culture. He also said the government was doing everything possible to ensure that Belagavi remained an integral part of Karnataka.
However, earlier in the day, a large number of pro-Maharashtra activists participated in a cycle rally organised by the Maharashtra Ekikaran Samiti (MES) to observe Rajyotsava Day as a “Black Day” for Belgaum.
Wearing black ribbons and waving black flags, the activists shouted slogans for the merger of Belgaum and other adjoining areas with Maharashtra.
Kicking off at 9 am, the rally passed through several streets before culminating at Sambhaji Garden. Belgaum mayor, Mahesh Naik, a noted MES leader, was careful to avoid the rally as last year the government had dissolved the civic body of the Belgaum City Corporation after then mayor, Manda Balekundri attended the Black Day programme. Interestingly, several other prominent MES leaders too did not attend the rally.
