Puneet effect: Low-key Rajyotsava event

Ravindra Uppar Belagavi, Nov 1

Kannada Rajyotsava is always a big day, especially for Belagavi, as thousands of youths dance to the tune of Kannada songs throughout the day at the Channamma Circle.

The youth exhibits love for their mother tongue in different ways. Red-yellow coloured flag triumphs. Youths had planned a similar big bash this year too, but the untimely death of actor Puneet Rajkumar made it a low-key affair. Kannada activists were in a tug-of-war with the district administration for the past two weeks seeking permission for the grand Rajyotsava procession. They also decided to celebrate the occasion with or without permission.

However, the death of Puneet changed the whole scenario. Following the demise of the actor, Kannada bodies decided to drop Rajyotsava celebrations and limit it to worshipping portraits of Goddess Bhuvaneshwari.

However, sometime in the afternoon, about a hundred youths gathered at the Channamma Circle and hoisted the red-yellow flags. Following this abrupt development, police blocked all the roads connecting to Channamma Circle by stationing barricades.

Police also made a fruitless attempt at dispersing the crowd, which continued to grow grasping the Karnataka flags in hands. District administration organised a Rajyotsava programme at the CPED Ground, where the district in-charge minister Govind Karjol hoisted the flag and honoured some social workers, journalists, Kannada activists, and many others who accomplished in various fields. Many dignitaries were present.