Belagavi City will be out of bounds on November 1 as Karnataka is poised to celebrate the statehood day in a big way.
Amid heavy restrictions and traffic diversions by authorities, Goans would be advised to postpone their plans to visit the city on Tuesday as mega rallies by Kannada activists are being planned in the border areas. While Marathi-speaking people will also be organising a protest rally to demand merger of Belagavi and other border areas from Karnataka into Maharashtra.
Plans are afoot across the state to make the day memorable. Along with mega statewide celebrations, Kannadigas in the border city of Belagavi have planned big celebrations.
Also celebrated as the Rajyotsava Day, the Kannada activists have decided to turn the city into red and yellow, the colours of Kannada flag on the day of Karnataka Rajyotsava on November 1.
Thousands of Kannada activists who are expected to take part in the day-long celebrations have planned to take a gigantic 10,000-feet long Kannada flag in a procession. An organisation of Kannada activists called Kannada Manassugalu from Bengaluru has prepared the longest Kannada flag in an attempt to strengthen Kannada and its culture in Belagavi by taking out its procession on the day of Rajyotsava.
A team of 100 activists from Bengaluru will be bringing the longest Kannada flag to Belagavi on October 31. At least 2,500 activists are required to hold the flag which stretches up to 3 kms after it is unfolded. Starting from the Rani Chenamma Circle here the procession would be stretched on the either side from the circle, Pavan Daregundi, a Kannada activist said.
“Large number of Kannada activists from Bengaluru will join the mammoth gathering at Belagavi on November 1 to make the event special and grand. The procession of the longest flag would start at 9 am on November 1 and will last until 2 pm,” Daregundi said.
A whopping Rs 2.6 lakh has been spent on this flag by raising funds from various sources. Scores of Kannada activists from Belagavi have extended support to the initiative taken by Kannada Manassugalu.
“We chose to bring the longest flag to Belagavi this time send a message that Kannada would always remain stronger in Belagavi where Kannadigas are facing harassment. Belagavi has been a special place for all Kannadigas and that is why we want to bring this flag there to celebrate the occasion,” added Daregundi.
