NCP MLA makes unannounced visit to Belagavi, talks about Marathi struggle

BELAGAVI: Amidst the border row between Karnataka and Maharashtra, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) MLA Rohit Pawar made an unannounced visit to Belagavi on Monday evening and met an ailing MES leader at the latter’s house.

Rohit Pawar, who represents Kartaj-Jamkhed constituency in Pune district, is NCP founder Sharad Pawar’s nephew.

The MLA garlanded a statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj.

After arriving in Belagavi by the Kolhapur-Kuganolli route, he called on Maharashtra Ekikaran Samiti (MES) leader Deepak Dalavi and inquired about his health.

On Tuesday, Rohit Pawar visited the memorial built for the 11 MES activists who died during firing during the border skirmishes, at Hindalga village and placed a wreath. He also garlanded a statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj.

Rohit Pawar laid a wreath at a memorial for MES activists at Hindalga.

From there, he proceeded to the Maharashtra High School at Yellur and later returned to Maharashtra. He was accompanied by local MES activists during his visit.

“This is a struggle for our identity and self-esteem which has been going on for the last 60-70 years. The struggle for our identity has started in Maharashtra also. As a social workers and a citizen of Maharashtra, I would say that the struggle and sacrifices should not go in vain”, he said.

The NCP MLA also visited the Maharashtra High School at Yellur.

After two Maharashtra ministers cancelled their visit to Belagavi, the Maha Vikas Aghadi, which the NCP is a part of, had criticised them and even staged a protest.