Tue Feb 25 06:46:17 UTC 2025: ## Belagavi Tensions Flare as Anti-Kannada Allegations Surface

**Belagavi, Karnataka, February 25, 2025** – Accusations of “Marathi appeasement politics” have ignited fresh tensions in Belagavi, with the Karnataka Rakshana Vedike (KRV) alleging that local leaders are prioritizing vote bank politics over the safety and rights of Kannada speakers.

KRV president T. A. Narayana Gowda claimed that certain leaders are enabling Marathi groups to engage in violence against Kannada speakers, citing instances of false cases filed against Kannada activists. He specifically highlighted the case of a NWKRTC conductor who was allegedly beaten, with claims that a minister pressured police to file a false POCSO case against him. While not naming her explicitly, Gowda alluded to Women and Child Development Minister Laxmi Hebbalkar, stating that “a Minister has said that she has got votes from Marathi speakers,” implying a neglect of Kannada-speaking constituents.

Gowda warned of indefinite protests if the situation does not improve, threatening to “take the law into their own hands,” though he quickly retracted this statement, urging swift police action instead. Following these accusations, the Karnataka government transferred Gururaj Kalyanshetty, the circle inspector of Marihal police station where the alleged incident occurred.

Adding a twist to the situation, the parents of the minor girl involved in the initial incident released a video statement, withdrawing the POCSO complaint against the conductor. They clarified that the altercation stemmed from a ticket dispute and was wrongly escalated into a Kannada-Marathi conflict. The parents, who identify as Marathi speakers, emphasized their long-standing residence in Belagavi and stated that they wished to prevent their family from becoming embroiled in further linguistic tensions.

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