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Time of India
13-05-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Statehood Supporters Launch Vidarbha Sankalp Padyatra
Nagpur: In a show of unity and determination, statehood supporters from across Vidarbha region came together on Tuesday to launch the Vidarbha Sankalp Padyatra . This mass movement aims to pressure the central govt to grant statehood to Vidarbha under Article 3 of the Indian padyatra was officially inaugurated at 1pm from Itwari, Nagpur, after leaders paid tribute at the symbolic site of Vidarbha Chandika . The yatra was flagged off by West Vidarbha president Ahmed Kadar and supported by various grass roots leaders and members. The march will continue for 12 days, traversing Nagpur rural to Wardha district, and culminate on May 25 in Amravati. The final gathering will host representatives from various sectors, including sarpanchs, educators, engineers, and office workers at Abhiyanta Bhawan, Shegaon youth wing president Mukesh Masurkar said, "Supporters of the Vidarbha statehood movement highlight deep-rooted disparities between Vidarbha and the rest of Maharashtra. Decades of underfunding, including the non-receipt of Rs65,000 crore in irrigation funds, 131 stalled dam projects, and loss of 14 lakh hectares of potential farmland, all contribute to a devastating farmer suicide crisis."He added, "Despite having 23 minerals, 70% of Maharashtra's electricity production, and rich forest and water resources, Vidarbha remains industrially and economically neglected, exacerbating issues like malnutrition, air pollution, and rising naxalism."The yatra aims to raise awareness, build grassroots momentum, and send a clear message: the people of Vidarbha are ready to fight for a separate, competent, and balanced state. Their slogan rings loud: "Our war has begun. We will fight and win. We will be cut, but we will not be removed."Key regional figures, including Babarao Shelke, Mukesh Masurkar, Sunil Chokhare, and others, set the march in motion. They were joined by prominent voices like VRAS President Wamanrao Chatap, Srinivas Khandewale, Ranjanatai Mamarde, Arun Kedar, and PR Rajput.
Time of India
02-05-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Vidarbha Explodes in Protest: Statehood Supporters Hoist Flag, Declare War On Maharashtra Day
Nagpur: While Maharashtra marked its formation day with celebrations, the 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." Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Insiders Swear By This Risky Forex Strategy – Find Out Why! Expertinspector Learn More Undo 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.
Time of India
30-04-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
65 Years Of Betrayal: VRAS Activists To Mark Maharashtra Day As Black Day
Nagpur: Sixty-five years after Maharashtra was carved out on May 1, 1960, the scars still bleed in Vidarbha, say statehood protesters. "What was sold as unity has felt like annexation. What was promised as balanced development became decades of decay. On Wednesday, Vidarbha won't celebrate. It will mourn. It will resist. It will declare: Jai Vidarbha — not in hope, but in demand," they cry. The Vidarbha Rajya Andolan Samiti (VRAS) has called for a region-wide Black Day, including hoisting the Vidarbha flag at Samvidhan Chowk at Nagpur. Protesters will wear black clothes, black ribbons, carry black flags, and stand in sharp defiance of the state they say has exploited them for over six decades. "They built Mumbai with our electricity and left our farmers to hang from trees," said a staunch statehood supporter. Vidarbha, once part of Central Provinces and Berar, was promised autonomy, justice, and parity when it was merged into Maharashtra. Instead, it got betrayal in return. At least 131 irrigation projects lie unfinished. Suicide became a generational reality for farmers. Malnutrition, unemployment, and poor infrastructure define the region's daily life, he added. Mukesh Masurkar, VRAS youth wing president, said, "Maharashtra's financial condition adds salt to the wound. The state is crushed under Rs7.82 lakh crore of debt, with a budget deficit of Rs45,892 crore. Projects like Gosikhurd, meant to bring water and life to Vidarbha, are now symbols of what was never intended to be completed." The movement has grown far beyond a protest. VRAS has announced a 'Scarlet Foot March' beginning May 13 from Vidarbha Chandika Shaheed Chowk in Nagpur, culminating in Amravati on May 25 with the Western Vidarbha Nirdhar Melava at Engineer Bhavan. Every step will carry decades of anger. "This is no longer a polite plea," said Arun Kedar, East Vidarbha Division president of VRAS. "This is a revolt against institutionalised looting — of our resources, our people, and our dignity." He added, "Western Maharashtra grabbed the lion's share of irrigation, industry, jobs, and political power. Vidarbha got empty assurances and a growing 'backlog' that has now become a cruel inside joke. Instead of narrowing, that backlog has ballooned — crushing development dreams with it." As Maharashtra marks its foundation day with pomp, thousands in Vidarbha will march in silence, wearing black, holding placards and banners for independent statehood demanded. The streets of Nagpur, Chandrapur, Wardha, and beyond will stand in protest, not celebration. "May 1 is not a holiday here. It's a betrayal — of trust, of equality, of the idea that Vidarbha ever truly belonged to Maharashtra. We were promised justice in 1960. Sixty-five years later, we're still buried in lies. Jai Vidarbha isn't a wish anymore — it's a must," Masurkar added.
Time of India
22-04-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Vidarbha Flag to Fly High on May 1 as Call for Statehood Grows Louder
Nagpur: Reaffirming its long-standing demand for separate statehood , the Vidarbha Rajya Andolan Samiti (VRAS) announced that the Vidarbha flag will be hoisted on May 1 at Samvidhan Chowk, Nagpur, as a symbolic protest against Maharashtra Day. This annual tradition, observed with growing support each year, emphasises the deep-rooted sentiment among Vidarbha residents for a distinct identity and administrative autonomy. The resolution to conduct the flag hoisting was passed during a meeting held on Tuesday at Gurudev Seva Ashram, Agyaramdevi Chowk. Leaders and activists from across East Vidarbha gathered to strengthen their resolve for the statehood movement, which saw decades of advocacy rooted in economic disparity, regional neglect, and administrative imbalance within Maharashtra. "This is not just a protest, it's a declaration of our identity and our right to self-determination," said a VRAS representative. The event is part of a larger series of mobilisations, including the upcoming 'Western Vidarbha Nirdhar Melava' in Amravati on May 25, 2025. For the people of Vidarbha, the flag is more than a symbol — it is a rallying point for justice, recognition, and the dream of a separate Vidarbha state. During the resolution meeting, key voices of the Vidarbha statehood movement came together in solidarity. East Vidarbha Division president Arun Kedar emphasised the need for continued grass roots mobilisation, while Youth Front president Mukesh Masurkar called upon the younger generation to actively participate in the cause. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Co-Founder of Google Brain, Andrew Ng, Is Reported To Have Read Every... Blinkist: Andrew Ng's Reading List Undo Veteran activist Baba Shelke spoke passionately about the historical neglect faced by Vidarbha, and Nagpur City president Naresh Nimje highlighted the symbolic importance of hoisting the Vidarbha flag every year on May 1. Other leaders, including Sunil Chokhare and Prashant Nakhate, reiterated their commitment to intensifying the demand for a separate state.
