Vidarbha Explodes in Protest: Statehood Supporters Hoist Flag, Declare War On Maharashtra Day
Vidarbha Rajya Andolan Samiti
(VRAS) observed it as a Black Day, renewing its call for a separate Vidarbha state. At the centre of the protest was the symbolic hoisting of the Vidarbha flag at Variety Square near the Gandhi Statue by VRAS Youth President Mukesh Masurkar.
Protesters wore black clothes and tied black bands to express anger and grief over decades of neglect. Chants of "Jai Vidarbha" and "Vidarbha Rajya lekar rahenge" rang through the streets.
As the crowd moved toward Samvidhan Chowk, tensions rose. Protesters attempted to move forward but were intercepted and detained by police at Zero Mile. They were later taken to Sitabuldi police station.
Speaking at the protest, Masurkar said, "Vidarbha has waited long enough. Maharashtra's Rs 8.14 lakh crore debt makes it impossible to address our region's problems. Unemployment is rising, farmers continue to take their own lives, and there's no future for our youth under this state."
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He added that Maharashtra historically neglected Vidarbha's development needs despite the region's contribution in terms of natural resources and power. "This protest is not just symbolic. It's a demand for justice and self-determination," he said.
Several senior leaders joined the protest, including Ahmed Kader, Nagpur City president Naresh Nimje, women's president Jyoti Khandekar, and many other prominent activists. They reiterated that Vidarbha's issues cannot be solved under the current state framework.
"We are not against the people of Maharashtra, but against a system that ignored us for far too long," said Khandekar. The protest called on the central govt to take immediate steps toward forming a separate Vidarbha state.
The hoisting of the flag on Black Day was meant to send a clear message: Vidarbha's demand is not a passing phase — it is a growing, determined movement rooted in decades of struggle.
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