Karnataka Rajyotsava was marked across the state on Sunday with flag hoisting ceremonies, parades, cultural programmes and district-level honours, while police stopped more than 50 Shiv Sena workers from Maharashtra at the Karnataka–Maharashtra border before they could attend a ‘Black Day’ event in Belagavi.
The workers, belonging to the Uddhav Thackeray faction’s Kolhapur district unit and led by district president Vijay Devane, were stopped at the Koganolli checkpost in Nippani taluk. Karnataka police later handed them over to police from Kagal in Kolhapur district.
In Belagavi, the Maharashtra Ekikaran Samiti held a ‘Black Day’ programme despite not receiving permission from the district administration. Participants took out a rally from Sambhaji Udyan on Mahadwar Road through Shahapur’s SPM Road, Mahatma Phule Road and Basaveshwar Circle to the Marathi Mandir Kalyan Mantap near the railway overbridge. They raised demands for Belagavi, Khanapur, Bidar, Bhalki, Karwar and Nippani to be included in Maharashtra.
Police also took several leaders, including social activist M.S. Patil Naribol, into custody and later released them. The group had planned to hoist a separate state flag at Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Circle, alleging that the Kalyana Karnataka region was being treated unfairly in development matters.
Elsewhere, district administrations conducted official ceremonies involving ministers, deputy commissioners, police units, home guards, forest officials, students and National Cadet Corps teams. In Dharwad, Deputy Commissioner Snehal drove District In-charge Minister Santosh Lad’s car after the Rajyotsava programme and press conference at the district Sahitya Bhavan.
In Dakshina Kannada, District In-charge Minister U.T. Khader hoisted the national flag at Nehru Maidan and warned that inadequate rainfall could lead to drinking-water problems and higher temperatures from January. He said the region must prepare to face the effects of climate variability. Khader also congratulated Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar over the declaration of Tulu as the state’s second administrative language, describing it as an honour for Tulu Nadu.
In Udupi, District In-charge Minister Rizwan Arshad announced plans to develop an entertainment park and sports facilities using 7.07 acres at the Trasi and Maravanthe beaches at an estimated cost of ₹48 crore. In Mysuru, 92 people received district-level Rajyotsava awards, while ceremonies in other districts included cultural performances, tableaux processions and recognition for achievers.
The day’s programmes also exposed the operational demands of large public ceremonies. In Madikeri, the event scheduled for 9 a.m. began 20 minutes late, leaving students waiting in the sun for the minister and MLA. District-level celebrations were also held in Chikkamagaluru, Vijayapura, Gadag, Chikkaballapur, Kalaburagi, Kodagu, Koppal, Raichur and Tumakuru, with officials citing the role of Kannada in administration, education, employment, science and public life.
