DISPLAY OF GRANDEUR: A view of the Rajyotsava procession taken out in Belgaum on Wednesday

Belgaum: There was enough reason for the Kannada-speaking people of this border district, particularly Belgaum city, to celebrate Rajyotsava here on Wednesday. They also had strong reasons to be disappointed over the Government's "failure" to implement its promise of laying foundation stone for the "Vikasa Soudha" by this day.

During the special Legislature session held here in the last week of September; Chief Minister H.D. Kumarswamy had promised to lay foundation stone by November 1 for a Vikas Soudha here in order to hold a Legislature session once in a year.

The Chief Minister could not keep his promise owing to the "failure" of the district administration to identify land for the purpose.

However, Kannada activists joined the celebrations in large numbers. The inaugural event, which takes place at 9 a.m. every year, was delayed by one hour. This left schoolchildren, folk artists and other participants waiting under the scorching sun.

Later, Minister for Horticulture and district in-charge Shashikant A.Naik and Deputy Commissioner Shalini Rajneesh arrived around 10 a.m. to the Deputy Commissioner Office premises, where the former unfurled the national flag and offered pooja to Bhuvaneshwari Devi. He also flagged off the procession.

Zilla Panchayat president Fakeerappa Gorbal, senior officials of the district, including Inspector General of Police T.G. Doreswamy and Superintendent of Police Hemant Nimbalkar, were present. Despite heavy police security, tension was sparked off in Ganpat Galli in the afternoon after Kannada activists allegedly removed the saffron flag, which is also identified with Maharashtra Ekikaran Samithi, from a building under construction in Bhantkhande Galli. As the procession was moving, they threw stones and damaged glasspanes of two shops with Kannada nameboards. Mr. Nimbalkar reached the spot soon. The procession continued and culminated at Rani Chennamma Circle. Later, the Market Police arrested 20 persons. In the evening, cultural programmes were held at Kumar Gandharva Ranga Mandir.

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