Why Maharashtra ministers are wearing black bands today?

Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi government (MVA) are observing ‘black day’ on Sunday, Nov 1

The government asked all its ministers to wear black bands on November 1 to support the Marathi-speaking people living in border areas of Karnataka and Maharashtra.

At a cabinet meeting in Mumbai on Thursday, the Maharashtra government gave a call to its ministers to tie black bands on their arms in support of ‘Black Day’, to be observed by pro-Maharashtra groups in Belagavi region, on the occasion of Rajyotsava on Sunday. The border dispute between the two states has been simmering for decades now.

Several leading Kannada leaders have slammed the Maharashtra government for trying to provoke Karnataka and its people.

According to Indian Express, On November 1, 1960, Karnataka state came into being. While Kannadigas celebrate the state’s formation day as Rajyotsav, Marathi-speaking people stage protests seeking “freedom from Karnataka.” Since November 1, 1956, Marathi-speaking people living in Maharashtra-Karnataka border areas have been observing the day as Black Day.