The pro-Kannada groups have called for a state-wide bandh in Karnataka on March 22, 2025, in protest against the assault on a state-run bus conductor for not speaking Marathi in the border district of Belagavi2. Kannada activist and 'Kannada Okkuta' leader Vattal Nagaraj has called for the bandh, emphasizing the pride of Kannada and Karnataka.
The bandh will take place from 6 am to 6 pm, with various organizations and leaders urged to support the shutdown2. Nagaraj has appealed to all organizations, including malls, hotels, government employees, labor unions, farmer associations, lorry owners, taxi drivers, and private schools, to join in supporting the agitation3. Several malls have already pledged their support for the cause.
The Kannada Okkuta plans to stage a protest by laying siege to Raj Bhavan starting at 11:30 am on March 3, demanding action to 'Save Belagavi'3. Additionally, a procession titled 'Belagavi Chalo' is scheduled for March 7 in Belagavi3. Further protests are planned in front of the Deputy Commissioner's offices in Mandya, Mysuru, and Ramanagara on March 143. On March 16, traffic will be halted on Old Madras Road near Hoskote, and on March 18, all pro-Kannada organizations will convene for a meeting in Bengaluru.
The agitation follows an incident where a state-run bus conductor was allegedly assaulted by a group of Marathi-speaking youths for not speaking in Marathi3. The border dispute between Karnataka and Maharashtra traces back to 1957 when states were reorganized based on linguistic lines2. Maharashtra claims Belagavi, which has a significant Marathi-speaking population and was part of the former Bombay Presidency2. Karnataka, however, maintains that the borders set by the States Reorganisation Act and the 1967 Mahajan Commission Report are final.
The bandh aims to reinforce Belagavi's status as part of Karnataka and to address the ongoing border dispute2. The pro-Kannada groups are also pushing for the implementation of the Mekedatu project across the Cauvery River.
Stay tuned for more updates on the Karnataka Bandh and the ongoing protests.