Retiring staffer of Belagavi City Corporaton raises ‘Jai Maharashtra’ slogan during farewell, later apologises

BELAGAVI: A retiring employee of the Belagavi City Corporation stoked a controversy when he raised the slogan ‘Jai Maharashtra’ while concluding his speech at a farewell ceremony organised for him.

Senior Division Assistant Shivaji Kalasekar retired on May 31 after 33 years of service. The same day, a farewell was organised in which the corporation commissioner and other officials took part. Kalasekar, while concluding his remarks, said ‘Jai Maharashtra’, much to the consternation of those gathered.

Shivaji Kalasekar submitted a written apology to the corporation commissioner.

Taking umbrage to this, Ashok Chandargi, president of the Belagavi Dist Kanhada Organisations Action Committee, demanded that Kalasekar’s retirement benefits should be withheld until he apologises for his act. Finally, Kalasekar submitted a written apology to Corporation Commissioner Rudresh S Ghali.

MES activists raise anti-Karnataka slogans in front of the deputy commissioner’s office in Belagavi on Thursday.

Meanwhile, in a related development, the Maharashtra Ekikaran Samiti, which has been fighting for the inclusion of Belagavi into Maharashtra, has demanded that documents in government offices should be given in Marathi to Marathi-speaking people.

Some MES activists staged a protest in front of the deputy commissioner’s office and set a deadline of 20 days, failing which they threatened to bring the working of the district administration to a halt.

When Additional Deputy Commissioner Ashok Dudagunti arrived to receive their memorandum, the activists even raised anti-Karnataka slogans. They even demanded the inclusion of Belagavi, Bidar, Bhalki, Karwar and Nippani in Maharashtra.

Earlier, they observed martyrs’ day in memory of nine people who died in police firing on June 1, 1986. Here too, the activists raised anti-Karnataka slogans.