Bengaluru: Shubham Shelke, the Head of the Maharashtra Ekikaran Samiti (MES) youth wing, has drawn widespread condemnation from Kannada activists and officials across party lines over a social media post depicting Belagavi, Nippani, Karwar, Bidar, and Bhalki as part of Maharashtra.
“Despite being the hardcore Maharashtravadis, we cannot openly extend Maharashtra Day wishes. It’s been 66 years since the agitators shed blood for an united Maharashtra, the Marathi-speaking people in the border areas are still awaiting justice,” he wrote in his social media account. Shelke also shared a morphed Maharashtra map that included the aforementioned locations.
District President of Kannada organisations Ashok Chandargi voiced his displeasure with Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar’s comment that his government would continue to support the cause of Marathi-speaking people living in Karnataka’s border districts.
Chandargi urged the State Government to bring a contempt petition against Ajit Pawar and Shelke in the Supreme Court.