Vidarbha statehood body holds 'Mission 2027' rally in Chandrapur, vows separate state by Dec 31, 2027

The demand for a separate Vidarbha state has gained fresh momentum in Chandrapur. The Vidarbha Rajya Andolan Samiti organised a public awareness fair named 'Mission 2027' at Jijau Lawn in the city, where a resolve was expressed to create a separate Vidarbha state before December 31, 2027.

The fair was presided over by former MLA Adv. Wamanrao Chatap and inaugurated by senior journalist Prakashbhau Pohare. Issues raised at the event included Vidarbha's development backlog, irrigation, farmer suicides and unemployment. Before the fair, a rally of about 500 two-wheelers was taken out through the city after seeking the blessings of Mata Mahakali.

The Samiti's leaders raised the slogan, "We want neither charity nor grants, we want only a Vidarbha state". With this slogan, they pledged to create a separate Vidarbha before December 31, 2027. The leaders said the demand for a separate Vidarbha has a historical legacy of 121 years and that there is firm determination to take it to a decisive turn now.

The speakers cited the Nagpur Pact (1953) and the 1956 constitutional amendment. According to them, the Centre did not set up the statutory development board for Vidarbha on time, because of which an irrigation fund of Rs 60,000 crore got stuck. The speakers said that as a result 131 dams remained incomplete and 14 lakh hectares of land were deprived of irrigation. The leaders claimed that, burdened by this drought and debt, 47,000 farmers in the Amravati division and Wardha district died by suicide.

The speakers also said development has stalled in various sectors because of a backlog of Rs 15,000 crore. Citing child deaths from malnutrition, unemployment, migration of youth and Maharashtra's debt of Rs 9.37 lakh crore, they held that Vidarbha's backlog of Rs 75,000 crore can never be cleared as long as it remains in Maharashtra. A separate Vidarbha is therefore the only way to resolve grave problems such as farmer suicides, unemployment and Naxalism, the speakers said.

Arun Kedar, Prof. Manjusha Tirpude, Mukesh Masurkar, Dr Ramesh Gajbe, Adv. Deepak Chatap, Shalik Maulikar and district presidents from across Vidarbha addressed the gathering. Munna Awale gave the introductory remarks, Mitin Bhagwat conducted the programme and Suresh Shambharkar proposed the vote of thanks.