Mangalore: Human Chain Attempts to Tame MCC's 'Tiger'
 
Pics: Spoorthi Ullal
Daijiworld Media Network – Mangalore (PS)
 
Mangalore, Jul 7: Speaking up for the street vendors who have been at the receiving end of the MCC's eviction drive, as many as 200 people formed a human chain from Lady Goshen hospital area to State Bank and later protested in front of the DC’s office to condemn ‘Operation Tiger’ here on Thursday July 7 at 3.30 pm.
 
This long-standing protest of over two months has gained the support of leaders from three political parties viz Congress, JD(S), and CPI(M). Various social activists and members of 25 other unions also joined hands to form a long human chain from Lady Goshan to State Bank. The protestors included women and children who shouted slogans against the Mangalore City Corporation.

Speaking on the occasion Ramanath Rai said that the protest has been intensified in the city and the result will soon be palpable. He flayed the BJP-led MCC administration and said providing facilities only to rich people and neglecting the poor class is dangerous to the social system. He urged the MCC to allow street vendors to carry out their business by putting an end to Operation Tiger.
 
B Madhava of CPI(M) said that evicting those who are struggling for their daily bread is going against social justice. He said MCC which had promised that the ‘mess’ will be solved in 15 days has missed the deadline and added that the anti-people approach of the MCC has become the talk of the town.
 
M G Hegde, state secretary of JD(S) said that when a delegation met governor H R Bhardwaj, he was furious with Operation Tiger and had promised to take action. Administrative decisions should be taken by considering the lower strata of the people and not just the rich, added. He noted that the MCC had breached the law by not auctioning seized goods from street vendors, and though application had been submitted under the RTI provision, no answer has yet come from the MCC administration.

Leaders like MLA Ramanath Rai, social worker Rita Noronha, former mayors Shashidhar Shetty, K Ashraf, CPI(M) leader B Madhava among others were present.