Karnataka Rakshana Vedike holds massive protest in Belagavi amid Kannada - Marathi row

A large protest by Karnataka Rakshana Vedike occurred in Belagavi due to tensions between pro-Kannada and pro-Marathi groups.

Belagavi witnessed a large-scale protest by Karnataka Rakshana Vedike leaders on Tuesday, fueled by ongoing disputes between pro-Kannada and pro-Marathi groups. The unrest escalated after a KSRTC bus conductor was allegedly assaulted in Belagavi for not conversing in Marathi during his duty.

Karnataka Rakshana Vedike held protest in Belagavi after attack on bus conductor for not speaking in Marathi. (Old pic) (PTI)

To prevent any law-and-order situation, Belagavi Police detained Karnataka Rakshana Vedike leader Praveen Shetty at the protest site. Speaking to ANI, DCP Rohan Jagadeesh stated, "Praveen Shetty has been taken into preventive custody in the interest of maintaining public order. The protest was happening in the middle of a busy road."

What happened in Belagavi?

The controversy arose after an incident on February 21, around 12:30 PM near Sulebhavi, where a conductor, Mahadevappa Hukkeri, and a bus driver from the North Western Karnataka Road Transport Corporation (NWKRTC) were allegedly attacked by a group of Marathi-speaking youths. The altercation reportedly started when a boy and girl on a semi-urban CBT-Sulebhavi bus confronted the conductor for not speaking Marathi. The duo then called their associates, who allegedly assaulted Hukkeri.

Following the incident, Karnataka Transport Minister Ramalinga Reddy visited Mahadevappa Hukkeri at Belagavi BIMS Hospital on Monday to check on his condition. Officials confirmed that the conductor has been undergoing treatment for the past three days. The police had initially filed a POCSO case against him based on a complaint from the girl, who accused him of making inappropriate remarks. However, the girl's family later withdrew the case.

Calling the allegations baseless, Minister Ramalinga Reddy assured full support to the injured conductor. "The Karnataka Road Transport department and the people of the state stand by him. The POCSO case filed against the conductor was bogus," he said.

Meanwhile, Karnataka Police have arrested five individuals in connection with the attack. The case has sparked widespread protests and heightened tensions in the region, deepening the long-standing Kannada-Marathi linguistic conflict in Belagavi.