Govt. to consider proposal to ban MES, says Minister

Minister Satish Jarkiholi said that the State government will consider a proposal to ban the Maharashtra Ekikaran Samiti (MES) based on complaints that it has been indulging in disruptive activities in border area.

Speaking here on Saturday, the Minister said, “We have received several complaints against MES, saying they have been indulging in disruptive activities and trying to disturb the law and order situation in the district repeatedly. Its members have been raising slogans against Karnataka government and abusing its leaders. The government will consider a proposal to ban the organisation”.

Meanwhile, MLA and former Deputy Chief Minister Laxman Savadi asked MES leaders not to continue their movement for merging Belagavi with Maharashtra. “You should leave Belagavi alone. If you keep demanding that Belagavi should be merged with Maharashtra, we will have to demand that Mumbai be merged with Karnataka, as there were several Kannada-speaking people in Mumbai,’’ Mr. Savadi said.

Belagavi Police Commissioner Borase Bhushan Gulabarao stated that MES had organised the Black Day protest rally without obtaining permission from the district administration or the police. He said that MES youth wing leader Shubham Shelke had violated his bonds of good behaviour by giving provocative speeches and abusing some leaders and the Karnataka government. He will face legal action, the commissioner said.